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JOHN   COLERIDGE  PATTESON. 


GREAT    MISSIONARIES 


OF 


THE   CHURCH 


BY 

THE  REV.   CHARLES  C.  CREEGAN,   D.D. 

AND 

MRS.  JOSEPHINE  A.   B.  GOODNOW 


WITH    AN    INTRODUCTION    BV    THE 

REV.  FRANCIS  E.  CLARK,  D.D. 

PRESIDENT   OF   THE    UNITED   SOCIETY    OF   CHRISTIAN    ENDEAVOR 


New  York  :  46  East  Fourteenth  Street 

THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  &  COMPANY 

Boston  :    100  Purchase  Street 


Copyright,  1895, 
By  Thomas  Y.  Crowell  &  Company. 


TYPOGRAPHY    BY  C.  J.    PETERS  Si  SON, 
BOSTON. 


TO 

Wi)t  loung  ^roplr  of  ©ur  JBag, 

THIS  VOLUME 

IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED. 


PREFACE. 


The  admirable  Introduction  to  this  vol- 
ume, from  the  pen  of  my  friend,  the  Rev. 
Francis  E.  Clark,  D.D.,  makes  a  formal 
preface  unnecessary.  I  wish,  however,  to 
acknowledge  the  kindness  of  those  who 
have  made  this  book  possible  by  their 
timely  aid. 

My  best  thanks  are  due  to  the  proprie- 
tors of  that  excellent  Christian  paper.  The 
Congregatioualist,  in  whose  columns  eight 
of  these  sketches  have  already  appeared, 
for  permission  to  republish  them,  together 
with  fifteen  others,  in  permanent  form.  As 
a  fittingr  recognition  of  the  invaluable  aid  I 
have  received  from  Mrs.  Josephine  A.  B. 
Goodnow  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  her  name 
has  been  placed  on  the  title  page. 


vi  PREFACE. 

I  have  also  received  valuable  assistance 
in  the  matter  of  data,  and  in  other  ways, 
from  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Logan,  late  missionary 
in  Micronesia ;  Miss  Clementine  Butler, 
Newton  Centre,  Mass. ;  the  Rev.  James 
Mudge,  Lowell,  Mass.,  late  associate  of 
Bishop  Thoburn  in  India  ;  the  Rev.  Ross 
Taylor,  New  York ;  and  Mr.  James  D. 
Creegan  of  Brooklyn. 

I  wish  also  to  acknowledge  many  cour- 
tesies from  the  publishers  at  whose  sug- 
gestion the  book  has  been  prepared,  and 
who  have,  through  their  artistic  and  me- 
chanical work,  left  nothing  to  be  desired. 

The  reader  will  miss  the  names  of  some 
famous  missionaries  of  this  century ;  but 
the  plan  of  the  book  will  be  seen,  w^hen  it 
is  observed  that  we  have  representatives 
from  seven  denominations  and  sixteen  mis- 
sion lands.  To  include  all  the  missionary 
heroes  of  our  time  would  require  several 
volumes. 


PREFACE.         '  Vll 

If  these  sketches  help  to  deepen  sym- 
pathy for  missions,  and  to  increase  gifts  to 
the  cause,  and  if  they  may  be  the  means  of 
leading  some  of  our  young  people  to 
follow  the  example  of  these  noble  men, 
who  have  given  their  all  to  build  up 
Christ's  Kingdom,  they  will  have  fully  an- 
swered the  purpose  for  which  they  are  now 
sent  forth. 

Bible  House,  New  York, 
May  ID,  1895. 


INTRODUCTION. 


I  CAN  scarcely  conceive  of  a  more  useful 
book  for  young-  people  to  own  and  study 
than  this  most  interestingf  volume  of  mis- 
sionary  biography. 

If  it  is  a  vitally  necessary  thing  for 
young  Christians  who  would  develop  the 
most  intelligent  type  of  religious  character 
to  know  the  lives  of  the  apostles  of  old, 
and  to  become  familiar  with  their  acts  as 
recorded  by  the  pen  of  inspiration,  it  is 
scarcely  less  important  that  they  should 
study  the  later  and  no  less  thrilling  acts  of 
later  apostles  of  the  church. 

In  this  volume  the  acts  of  the  apostles 
are  continued  in  graphic  and  interesting 
chapters.  Young  people  everywhere,  what- 
ever their  age  or  sex  (for  there  is  many  a 
young  man   and  woman  with   heart  fresh 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

and  un furrowed,  though  the  brow  may  be 
wrnikled  by  three-score  years  and  ten), 
enjoy  stirring  adventures,  Hvely  incidents, 
and  heroic  stories. 

No  less  Interesting  to  every  healthy 
mind  is  a  well-written  biograghy,  a  story 
which  tells  of  the  actual  hopes  and  fears 
and  joys  and  acts  of  a  living  man.  This 
volume  combines  the  excellences  of  the 
spirited  story  of  adv^enture,  and  the  graphic 
biography  of  real  men  and  women.  What 
more  happy  combination  could  be  found  ? 
The  biography  in  almost  every  case  is  a 
story  of  adventure  ;  the  story  of  adventure 
is  a  biography  —  a  life  history  of  some 
ofreat  man  or  woman. 

After  having  taken  a  long  journey 
through  many  missionary  lands,  my  delib- 
erate and  often  recorded  opinion  has  been 
that,  if  we  seek  for  heroes  to-day,  we  will 
find  them,  for  the  most  part,  on  missionary 
soil.  Not  that  many  a  humble,  inconspicu- 
ous life  is  not  lived  most  heroically  at 
home.  I  would  not  belittle  with  a  sing-le 
adjective  of  faint  praise  the  splendid  devo- 


IXTRODUCTfON.  XI 

tion  of  humble  Christians,  But  if  we  are 
speaking  of  conspicuous  heroism,  of  hves 
which  God  has  marked  as  eminent  exam- 
ples to  the  world,  we  must  look  for  them 
very  largely  on  the  frontier  of  our  own 
land  where  our  home  missionaries  have 
gone,  or  in  the  dark  nations  of  the  world 
to  which  our  foreign  missionaries  are  carry- 
ing the  light  of  gospel  truth. 

I  am  olad  to  record  aeain  that  mission- 
ary  work  in  all  the  various  Protestant 
denominations,  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
is,  in  my  e)'es,  the  most  promising  and 
hopeful  feature  of  modern  civilization. 
For  the  enlargement  of  commerce,  for  the 
spread  of  civilization,  for  the  uplifting  of 
humanity,  for  the  redemption  of  the  world, 
there  is  no  such  force  as  that  which  is 
exerted  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  missionaries 
of  the  cross,  the  ministers  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

If  this  opinion  is  true  of  the  average 
missionary  to-day,  at  work  in  the  foreign 
field,  and  I  believe  it  is,  how  doubly  true 
is    it    of    the    great    missionaries    of    the 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 


church,  Patteson  and  Carey  and  Neesima 
and  Wilhams  and  Taylor  and  Livingstone. 

It  only  remains  to  be  said  that  this  most 
interesting  subject  is  treated  by  its  authors 
in  a  way  worthy  of  their  theme.  With  this 
book  in  his  hands,  no  one  can  say  that  mis- 
sionary biography  is  dull,  stale,  and  unin- 
teresting. No  one  will  yawn  over  insipid 
pages,  or  read  only  from  a  sense  of  duty 
these  charming  chapters.  If  more  light 
and  more  knowledge  are  the  great  pre- 
requisites for  larger  interests  and  larger 
gifts,  then  I  believe  that  this  volume  will 
do  not  a  little  to  kindle  to  a  brighter  flame 
the  interest  of  Christians  in  missionary 
themes. 

Already  the  fire  has  begun  to  blaze  in 
many  a  young  heart.  In  a  multitude  of 
young  people's  conventions  no  theme  to- 
day is  so  interesting  as  the  missionary 
theme.  No  subjects  so  stir  the  hearts 
and  quicken  the  pulses  of  a  host  of  young 
disciples  as  those  connected  with  the  win- 
ning of  the  world  to  Christ.  This  book 
will  supply  the  fire  of  enthusiasm  with  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XIU 

one  fuel  that  is  needed  —  the  fuel  of  in- 
formation. 

If  this  result  is  accomplished,  then  the 
missionary  treasuries  will  feel  the  influ- 
ence of  this  book.  To  some  extent  the 
mountainous  debt  should  be  scaled  down, 
and  the  treasuries,  refilled  as  this  volume 
goes  from  family  to  family  on  its  blessed 
mission  of  information  and  inspiration. 

FRANCIS    E.    CLARK. 

Boston,  April  %,  1895. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 

Preface v 

Introduction ix 

I.     Bishop  John  C.  Patteson, 

The  Martyr  of  Malanesia 3 

II.     Titus  Coan, 

Missionary  to  Hawaii 19 

III.  William  Goodell, 

Missionary  to  Turkey 3^ 

IV.  William  Carey, 

Missionary  to  India 45 

V.     William  G.  Schauffler, 

Missionary  to  Turkey 59 

VI.     Griffith  John, 

Missionary  to  China 75 

VII.     Elijah  Coleman  Bridgman, 

Missionary  to  China 95 

VIII.     Bishop  James  Mills  Thoburn, 

Missionary  to  India 109 

IX.     Bishop  Samuel  Adjai  Crowther, 

Missionary  Bishop  of  the  Niger     ....     125 

X.     John  Kenneth  Mackenzie,  M.D., 

Medical  Missionary  to  China 143 

XI.     Joseph  Hardy  Neesima, 

Missionary  to  Japan 159 

XV 


XVI 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGB 

XII.     John  Williams, 

Martyr  Missionary  of  Polynesia    ....     179 

XIII.  Robert  W.  Logan, 

Missionary  to  Micronesia 199 

XIV.  William  Butler, 

Missionary  to  India  and  Mexico   .     .     .     .     219 

XV.     Adoniram  Judson, 

Missionary  to  Burma 235 

XVI.     John  G.  Baton, 

Missionary  to  the  New  Hebrides  ....     253 

XVII.     Alexander  M.  Mackay, 

Missionary  to  Uganda 273 

XVIII.     Bishop  William  Taylor, 

Missionary  to  India,  So.  America,  Africa    .     291 

XIX.     Robert  Moffat, 

Missionary  to  Africa 3^5 

XX.     William  McClure  Thomson, 

Missionary  to  Syria 3^5 

XXI.     Marcus  Whitman,  M.D., 

Missionary  to  Oregon 34^ 

XXII.  Bishop  James  Hannington, 

The  Martyr  of  Eastern  Africa 369 

XXIII.  David  Livingstone, 

Missionary  and  Explorer  in  Africa     .     .     .     385 


JOHN  COLERIDGE   PATTESON. 

Born  April  i,  1827,  Died  Sept.  20,  1871. 


GREAT    MISSIONARIES 


OF 


THE    CHURCH. 


I. 

BISHOP  PATTESON. 

The  lives  of  some  men  are  an  atmos- 
phere into  which  we  cannot  enter  with- 
out feehng  braced  and  invigorated.  Such 
was  the  hfe  of  John  Coleridge  Patteson, 
possessing  as  it  did  the  attributes  of 
real  manhood,  unswerving  allegiance  to 
right,  and  a  human  tenderness.  The  poor 
heathen,  for  whose  sake  he  gave  up  all, 
were  the  most  unpromising  material  to 
be  found  in  the  wide  world  for  conversion 
into  citizens  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
But  the  faith  of  Patteson  was  constantly 
strengthened   by  witnessing    the    spiritual 

3 


4  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

beauty  and  fidelity  of  those  who  in  due 
time  sat  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  clothed 
and   in  their  right  mind. 

John  Coleridge  Patteson  was  born  on 
April  I,  1827.  His  father,  John  Patteson, 
was  a  lawyer  of  no  mean  repute.  His 
mother  was  of  the  Coleridge  family,  and 
her  line  was  distinguished  by  the  philos- 
opher, Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge.  To  the 
future  bishop  she  gave  her  family  name  ; 
and  to  those  who  knew  him  best,  not  only 
as  a  boy,  but  afterwards  when  he  had 
reached  man's  estate,  he  was  known  as 
"  Coley."  Consideration  for  others,  kind- 
ness and  sweetness  of  nature,  were  his 
leadino-  characteristics. 

While  at  Eton  he  was  profoundly  im- 
pressed by  a  farewell  sermon  which  Bishop 
Selwyn  preached  in  October,  1841,  at 
Windsor,  where  the  bishop  had  acted  as 
curate.  When  callincr  on  his  mother  to  bid 
her  farewell,  that  eminent  prelate  and  mis- 
sionary said,  with  a  kind  of  prophetic  an- 
ticipation, "  Lady  Patteson,  will  you  give 
me   Coley  ? "   and   the  boy  said   he  would 


BISHOP  PATTESON.  5 

like  some  time  to  go  with  the  bishop. 
Meantime  his  school-hfe  was  arduous  and 
successful.  At  Oxford,  where  he  entered 
with  deep  interest  into  the  religious  move- 
ments of  the  day,  he  obtained,  in  1849, 
a  classical  second  class,  and  subsequently 
a  fellowship. 

His  examination  for  his  degree  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  tour  in  Germany  and  Italy.  In 
1853  ^^  '^v^s  ordained,  and  took  the  curacy 
of  Alfineton.  Here  his  sweet  manner  and 
musical  voice  helped  to  win  the  hearts  of 
his  people  ;  but  general  society  he  never 
liked,  small  talk  he  declared  he  could  not 
manufacture,  and  morning  callers  were  the 
plague  of  his  life. 

On  the  19th  of  August,  1854,  he  joined 
in  welcoming  the  bishop  of  New  Zealand, 
who  came  to  visit  Encrland  after  twelve 
years  of  work,  during  which  he  had 
founded  his  church,  organized  its  govern- 
ment, and  planned  his  system  of  mission- 
ary aggression  on  the  five  groups  of 
islands  which  he  combined  under  the  col- 
lective name  of  Melanesia.  As  early 
as  1848  Bishop  Selwyn  had  visited  these 


6  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

islands  ;  and  he  soon  perceived  that  it  was 
vain  to  think  of  dealing-  with  them  by 
planting  a  resident  English  clergyman  in 
each  of  them.  He  also  believed  that  no 
church  could  take  effectual  root  without 
a  native  clergy ;  and  he  accordingly  de- 
termined upon  the  plan  to  bring  boys 
from  the  islands  to  New  Zealand,  to  edu- 
cate them  there  in  St.  fohn's  College,  and 
then  send  them  home  to  become  teachers 
of  their  countrymen. 

But  what  was  now  necessary  was  a  man 
who  should  be  able  to  "  rouofh  it"  amonof 
the  islands,  and  yet  take  up  with  spirit 
and  ability  the  education  and  training  of 
the  islanders  themselves.  In  quest  of 
such  help  Bishop  Selwyn  visited  England 
again,  and  now  followed  up  the  thought 
of  1841,  by  asking  .Sir  John  Patteson, 
"Will  you  give  me  Coley  ?  "  His  words 
fell  upon  a  mind  in  the  young  man  him- 
self already  charged  with  the  subject ;  and 
in  March,  1855,  he  left,  his  villagers  de- 
ploring his  departure,  and  sailed  for  New 
Zealand. 

Here  he  wrought  earnestly  in  the  schools 


BISHOP  PATTESON.  7 

until  i860,  when,  despite  his  modest  re- 
luctance, he  obeyed  the  earnest  requisition 
of  Bishop  Selwyn,  and  agreed  to  undertake 
the  episcopal  office.  In  this  year,  i860, 
he  assumed  the  direction  of  the  Melane- 
sian  mission,  and  founded  a  mission-house 
at  Mota.  He  was  consecrated  bishop  on 
February  24  ;  and  from  this  time  for  ten 
and  a  half  years  remained  in  sole  charge  of 
the  missions  of  the  Church  in  the  islands. 
Lady  Martin  gives  the  following  brief  de- 
scription of  the  consecration  service  :  "I 
shall  never  forget  the  expression  of  his 
face  as  he  knelt  in  the  quaint  rocket.  It 
was  meek  and  calm  and  holy,  as  though 
all  conflict  was  over,  and  he  was  resting 
in  divine  strenofth.  It  was  altogether  a 
wonderful  scene  —  the  three  consecrating 
bishops,  all  noble-looking  men,  the  goodly 
number  of  clergy,  and  Hohna's  fine,  intelli- 
gent, brown  face  among  them,  and  then 
the  long  line  of  island  boys  and  of  St. 
Stephen's  native  teachers  and  their  wives, 
—  all  living  testimonies  of  mission-work." 
Bishop    Patteson   was    now  formally  in- 


8  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Stalled  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Andrew  as  head 
of  the  college.  Miss  Yonge  says  :  "  It  was 
in  his  private  classes  that  he  exercised  such 
wonderful  influence,  his  musical  voice,  his 
holy  face,  his  gentle  manner,  all  helping 
to  impress  and  draw  even  the  dullest." 

Putting  down  his  natural  fastidiousness, 
he  gave  dignity  to  the  very  humblest  of 
his  duties.  Some  idea  of  his  many-sided- 
ness may  be  had  from  the  following  letter  : 
"  I  can  hardly  tell  you  how  much  I  regret 
not  knowing  somethino-  about  the  treat- 
ment  of  simple  surgical  cases.  If  I  had 
studied  the  practical,  bled,  drawn  teeth, 
mixed  medicines,  it  would  have  been  worth 
something.  Many  trades  need  not  be  at- 
tempted ;  but  every  missionary  ought  to 
be  a  carpenter,  a  mason,  something  of  a 
butcher,  and  a  good  deal  of  a  cook." 

The  incessant  labors  and  occasional  dan- 
gers of  his  life  were  relieved  by  his  vivid 
interest  in  his  work,  and  by  his  enjoyment 
of  a  climate  which  was  to  him  highly  genial. 
The  spirit  of  fun,  which  had  had  free  play 
in  his  boyhood,  did  not  depart  from  him 


Bisrror  patteson. 


during'  his  episcopate,  and  it  found  fit- 
test openings  in  the  innocent  festivities 
amone  the  natives.  He  taucjht  them  to 
play  cricket.  They  showed  a  marvellous 
eagerness  for  knowledo^e,  and  labored  like 
the  smallest  English  children  at  the  mys- 
teries of  the  alphabet.  Patteson  could  not 
bring  himself  to  consider  the  poor,  unen- 
Hghtened  heathen  as  under  special  condem- 
nation ;  rather,  he  rejoiced  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God  fulfilled  in  them  when  the 
light  of  the  gospel  shall  shine  in  their 
hearts.  He  was  a  believer  in  the  love  of 
God. 

Early  in  1870  Bishop  Patteson  was  struck 
down  by  a  severe  and  dangerous  attack 
of  internal  inflammation,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  his  unremitted  exertion  was  car- 
rying him  with  great  rapidity  into  an  early 
old  aee.  With  darkened  countenance,  and 
frame  prematurely  bowed,  he  went  to  Auck- 
land for  advice.  His  ailment  was  declared 
chronic,  but  not  necessarily  fatal.  He  be- 
gan to  be  aware  that  there  must  be  a 
change  in  the  amount  and  character  of  his 
work.      He  says  :  — 


lO  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

"  I  think  I  shall  have  to  forego  some 
of  the  more  risky  and  adventurous  part 
of  the  work  in  the  islands.  I  don't  mean 
that  I  shall  not  take  the  voyages,  and  stop 
about  on  the  islands  as  before  ;  but  I  must 
do  it  all  more  carefully,  and  avoid  much 
that  of  old   I   never  thouo-ht  about." 

He  mended  very  slowly  ;  but  he  de- 
termined to  return  to  Melanesia.  He 
completed  his  circuit  of  the  islands  in 
October,  and,  arriving  at  Norfolk  Island, 
resumed  his  old  mapping  of  the  day  for 
teaching,  study,  and  devotion,  never  for- 
getting correspondence  in  its  turn.  He 
worked  "  from  before  5  a.m.  till  soon  after 
9  P.M.,  when  I  go  off  to  bed  quite  tired. 
I  am  very  seldom  alone.  I  may  do  a  great 
deal  of  work  yet,  rather  in  a  quieter  way 
than  of  old." 

His  mind  continued  to  act,  however,  with 
unabated  interest  upon  all  portions  of  his 
work,  and  also  upon  Hebrew  philologically 
viewed,  upon  the  events  of  the  year  at 
Rome  and  on  the  French  frontier,  and 
upon  theology.      On  April  27,  1871,  he  set 


BISHOP  PATTESON.  II 

(Hit  for  his  closing-  voyage.  At  Mota,  the 
missionary  headquarters,  he  recognized  a 
great  progress.  Christianity  had  so  far  be- 
come a  power  and  habit  of  hfe,  that  he  felt 
warranted,  notwithstanding  all  his  strictness 
about  the  aciministration  of  baptism,  in 
giving  that  sacrament  to  young  children. 
After  quite  a  visit  at  Fiji,  he  leaves  there, 
having  baptized  289  persons,  and  visits 
other  groups  of  islands.  His  experience  is 
generally  pleasant,  but  it  is  checkered  by 
rumors  of  crime  and  retaliation  for  crime 
in  connection  with  the  labor  traffic.  Re- 
turninof  to  Mota,  he  makes  record  of  a 
concourse  of  people  flocking  to  be  taught. 
"  I  sleep  on  a  table  ;  people  under  and 
around  me." 

Such  was  the  nightly  preparation  of  the 
invalid  for  his  long,  laborious,  uncomplain- 
ing days.  On  August  6  we  have  several 
thoughtful  pages  on  difficulties  of  theol- 
ogy: "  How  thankful  I  am  that  I  am  far 
away  from  the  noise  and  worry  of  this 
sceptical  yet  earnest  age." 

Sailing  on  the  20th,  he  sends  to  Bishop 


12  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Abraham  an  interesting  summary  of  the 
state  of  things  at  Mota.  The  bishops,  his 
brethren  in  New  Zealand,  jointly  urged 
him  to  pfo  to  Eno^land  ;  but  he  declined. 
The  slave  traffic  still  casts  a  dark  shadow 
across  his  path.  "  I  hear  that  a  vessel 
has  gone  to  Santa  Cruz  ;  and  I  must  be 
very  cautious  there,  for  there  has  been 
some  disturbance  almost  to  a  certainty." 
On  September  i6  he  finds  himself  off  the 
Santa  Cruz  group  :  "I  pray  God  that  if  it 
be  his  will,  and  if  it  be  the  appointed  time, 
he  may  enable  us  in  his  own  way  to  be- 
gin some  little  work  among  these  very  wild 
but  energetic  islanders.  I  am  fully  alive 
to  the  probability  that  some  outrage  has 
been  committed  here  by  one  or  more  ves- 
sels. I  am  quite  aware  that  we  may  be 
exposed  to  considerable  risk  on  this  ac- 
count, but  I  don't  think  there  is  very  much 
cause  for  fear ;  first,  because  at  these  reef 
islands  they  know  me  very  well,  though 
they  don't  understand  as  yet  our  object  in 
coming  to  them,  and  they  may  very  easily 
connect  us  white    people  with    the    other 


BISHOP  PATTESON.  I  3 

white  people  who  have  ill-treated  them. 
Still,  I  think  if  any  violence  has  been  used 
to  the  natives  to  the  north  face  of  the  large 
island,  Santa  Cruz,  I  shall  hear  of  it,  and 
so  be  forewarned." 

Accordingly,  to  Nukapu  he  went.  Four 
canoes  were  seen  hovering  about  the  coral 
reef  which  surrounded  the  island.  The 
vessel  had  to  feel  her  way  ;  so,  lest  the 
men  in  the  canoes  should  be  perplexed,  he 
ordered  the  boat  to  be  lowered,  and  when 
asked  to  go  into  one  of  the  native  boats, 
he  did  it  to  disarm  suspicion,  and  was  car- 
ried off  toward  the  shore.  The  boat  from 
the  schooner  could  not  get  over  the  reef. 
The  bishop  was  seen  to  land  on  the  shore, 
and  was  then  seen  alive  no  more.  After  a 
while  Mr.  Atkin  was  struck  with  an  arrow- 
head from  the  islanders  in  the  canoe  ;  but, 
in  spite  of  suffering  and  weakness,  he 
crossed  the  reef  to  seek  the  bishop.  A 
canoe  drifted  toward  them  ;  the  body  of  a 
man  was  seen  as  if  crouching  in  it.  They 
came  up  with  it,  and  lifted  the  bundle 
wrapped    in    matting    into    the  -boat  ;  two 


14  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

words  passed,  "The  body."  Then  it  was 
hfted  up  and  laid  across  the  skyHght.  The 
placid  smile  was  still  on  the  face  ;  there 
was  a  palm-leaf  fastened  over  the  breast, 
and  when  the  mat  was  opened  there  were 
five  wounds. 

This  is  an  almost  certain  indication  that 
his  death  was  vengeance  for  five  of  the 
natives.  "  Blood  for  blood  "  is  a  sacred 
law  almost  of  nature  wherever  Christianity 
has  not  prevailed,  and  a  whole  tribe  is  held 
responsible  for  one.  Five  men  in  Fiji  are 
known  to  have  been  stolen  from  Nukapu  ; 
and  probably  their  families  believed  them 
to  have  been  killed,  and  believed  them- 
selves to  be  performing  a  sacred  duty  when 
they  dipped  their  weapons  in  the  blood  of 
the  bishop,  whom  they  did  not  know  well 
enough  to  understand  him  to  be  their  pro- 
tector. 

The  next  morning  the  body  of  John 
Coleridee  Patteson  was  committed  to  the 
waters  of  the  Pacific,  Joseph  Atkin,  read- 
ing the  burial  service,  even  though  then 
recognizing  his    own    sign  of  doom    in    a 


BISHOP  PATTESON.  I  5 

body    stiffened    from    a    poisonous    arrow 
which  caused  his  death. 

No  summary  can  do  justice  to  the  char- 
acter and  career  of  Bishop  Patteson.  In 
him  were  singularly  combined  the  spirit  of 
chivalry,  the  glorious  ornament  of  a  by- 
gone time ;  the  spirit  of  charity,  rare  in 
every  age  ;  and  the  spirit  of  reverence.  It 
is  hardly  possible  to  read  the  significant 
but  modest  record  of  his  sacrifices,  his  la- 
bors, his  perils,  and  his  cares,  without  being 
vividly  reminded  of  St.  Paul,  the  prince  and 
model  of  all  missionary  laborers,  without 
feeling  that  the  apostolic  pattern  is  not  even 
now  without  its  imitators,  and  that  the  copy 
in  this  case  recalls  the  original.  The  three 
hicrhest  titles  that  can  be  criven  to  man  are 
those  of  martyr,  hero,  saint  ;  and  which 
of  the  three  is  there  that  in  substance  it 
would  be  irrational  to  attach  to  the  name 
of  John  Coleridge  Patteson  ? 


II. 

TITUS   CO  AN,   Missionary  to  Hawaii. 

Born  Feb.   i,  iSoi  ;  Died  Dec.   i,  1S82. 


TITUS  COAN. 


II. 

TITUS  coan: 

A  BELT  of  island  coast-line  extending 
from  north  to  south  a  hundred  miles,  and 
from  one  to  three  miles  wide,  dotted  with 
groves  and  seamed  by  deep  mountain 
chasms  and  scoriaceous  lava-fields,  varied 
by  plains  and  hills  of  pasture-land,  upon 
which  feed  herds  of  wild  cattle  —  a  land 
inhabited  by  15,000  natives,  grouped  in 
villages  of  two  or  more  hundred  people, 
vicious,  shameless,  yet  tractable,  slaves  to 
their  chiefs,  and  herdino-  tog-ether  like  ani- 
mals  —  to  this  parish,  occupying  the  east- 
ern third  of  the  island  of  Hawaii,  was  sent 
in  1835  the  young  missionary,  Titus  Coan. 

In  the  town  of  Killingworth,  Conn.,  he 
was  born  of  old  New  England  stock,  Feb. 
I,  1 80 1.  His  boyhood  was  passed  upon 
his    father's    farm,    and    he    attended    the 

19 


20  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

villaee  schools.  Later  he  went  to  a  miU- 
tary  school ;  after  this  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  in  Western  New  York ;  and  in 
183 1,  through  the  influence  of  his  cousin, 
the  Rev.  Asahel  Nettleton,  he  entered  the 
theological  seminary  at  Auburn.  While 
Mr.  Coan  was  in  the  seminary  he  gave 
much  time  to  revival  effort,  and  success 
attended  his  labors.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  April  17,  1833.  On  Aug.  16, 
1833,  he  was  sent  to  Patagonia  by  the 
American  Board,  accompanied  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Arms  ;  and  for  four  months  they  niade 
an  earnest  but  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
communicate  to  the  ferocious  nomads 
something  of  their  message.  The  sav- 
ages threatened  them  with  death  ;  and  it 
was  only  by  stratagem  that  they  made 
their  escape,  and  boarded  a  chance  ves- 
sel, and  returned  to  New  London,  Conn., 
in  May,    1834. 

Mr.  Coan  had  been  unable  to  receive 
any  communication  from  his  family  or 
from  his  fiancee,  Miss  Fidelia  Church, 
during   his  absence ;   and  the   uncertainty 


TITUS   CO  AN.  21 

of  his  fate  had  been  the  source  of  the 
deepest  anxiety  to  them.  After  this  trial 
came  the  joy  of  reunion,  which  was  cele- 
brated by  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Coan  and 
Miss  Church  on   Nov.   3,    1834. 

On  December  5  they  embarked  at  Bos- 
ton for  Honolulu.  At  diat  time  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands  seemed  at  the  very  ends  of 
the  earth,  and  the  trip  was  a  six  months' 
voyage  around  Cape  Horn.  Neither  Mr. 
Coan  nor  his  bride  then  had  any  idea 
of  returning  to  their  native  land.  They 
arrived  at  Honolulu,  June  6,  1835,  and 
were  welcomed  by  the  missionaries  then 
assembled  at  their  annual  meeting.  The 
field  in  which  Mr.  Coan  was  to  labor  was 
Hilo  —  now  a  thriving  town,  then  in  al- 
most absolute  retirement ;  and  for  many 
years  after  his  arrival  there  were  no  roads, 
no  bridges,  and  no  horses  in  Hilo,  and 
Mr.  Coan  was  oblicred  to  make  his  tours 
on  foot.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coan  were  de- 
lighted that  their  future  home  was  to  be 
upon  the  beautiful  bay  of  Hilo,  called  after 
the  visit  of  Admiral   Byron,  Byron's  Bay, 


22  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  adorned  with  the  cocoa-pahn,  whose 
lofty  plumes  rustled  in  the  fresh  sea-breeze. 
Upon  reaching  the  island,  Mr,  Coan 
found  several  schools  established  by  the 
different  missionaries,  and  that  about  one- 
fourth  of  the  natives  could  read.  There 
were  a  few  hopeful  converts,  and  a  little 
church  of  thirty-six  members,  Mr.  Lyman 
and  his  wife  were  then  on  the  ground, 
having  settled  at  Hilo  in  1832  ;  and  there 
they  remained  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Ly- 
man in  1884,  after  an  unbroken  residence 
of  fifty-two  years.  They  had  charge  of  a 
boarding-school,  and  much  labor  at  the 
home  station  ;  while  to  Mr.  Coan,  robust 
in  health  and  a  fervid  speaker,  the  preach- 
ing and  the  touring  were  naturally  as- 
signed. In  three  months'  time  he  beo-an 
to  speak  in  the  native  tongue  ;  and  before 
the  year  closed  he  had  made  the  circuit 
of  the  island  by  canoe  and  on  foot,  a 
trip  of  300  miles.  He  preached  forty- 
three  times  in  eight  days,  examined  twenty 
schools,  and  more  than  1,200  scholars; 
conversed  personally  with  multitudes,  and 


TITUS  CO  AN.  23 

ministered  to  many  sick  persons,  for  he 
was  something  of  a  physician.  He  had  at 
that  time  a  daily  school  of  ninety  teachers, 
and  Mrs.  Coan  one  of  140  children. 

In  1835  Mr.  Coan  said,  "  I  have  literally 
no  leisure  so  much  as  to  eat,  finding  myself 
constrained  to  preach,  at  times,  twice  be- 
fore breakfast."  During  his  tours  through 
the  island  in  1836,  the  natives  rallied  in 
masses  to  hear  Mr.  Coan  preach.  The 
blind  were  led  ;  the  maimed,  the  aged,  and 
invalids  were  brought  on  the  backs  of  their 
friends.  Among  the  converts  was  the  high 
priest  of  the  volcano.  He  had  been  an 
idolater,  a  drunkard,  and  a  murderer  ;  but 
he  became  penitent,  and,  wath  his  sister, 
the  haughty,  stubborn  high  priestess  of  the 
volcano,  entered  the  church. 

In  1837  the  great  interest  became  gen- 
eral throuehout  all  the  islands.  Fifteen 
thousand  people,  scattered  up  and  down 
the  coast  for  a  hundred  miles,  could  not 
be  reached  by  one  man ;  and  so  whole 
villages  gathered  from  miles  away,  and 
made  their  homes  near  the  mission-house. 


24  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Hilo  was  crowded  with  strangers.  Little 
cabins  studded  the  place  like  the  camps  of 
an  army,  and  the  population  increased  to 
10,000  souls.  The  old  church  was  packed 
with  a  sweltering"  and  restless  mass  of  6,000 
souls.  A  new  church  near  by  took  the 
overflow  of  2,000,  while  hundreds  pressed 
about  the  doors. 

The  revival  was  at  its  height  Nov.  7, 
1837.  T^"^^  crescent  beach,  dotted  with 
native  booths,  reaching  up  into  the  charm- 
ing groves  behind,  was  in  peaceful  security. 
It  w^as  the  hour  of  evening  prayer.  Sud- 
denly a  great  cry  and  wail  arose,  and  a 
scene  of  indescribable  confusion  followed. 
The  sea,  moved  by  an  unseen  hand,  had 
suddenly  risen,  and  the  volcanic  wave  fell 
upon  the  shore  like  a  bolt  from  heaven. 
In  a  moment  hundreds  of  people  were 
strueSfline  with  the  billows.  "  There  was 
no  sleep  that  night  ;  but  the  next  day  the 
meetings  went  on  with  renewed  power, 
and  through  all  the  week,  as  the  sea  gave 
up  one  after  another  its  dead,  and  the  peo- 
ple bore  them  to  their  resting-places,  the 


TITUS   CO  AN.  25 

Spirit    sent    home    this    new    sorrow   with 
divine  effect." 

No  one  knew  his  people  better  than  Mr. 
Coan  ;  but  it  was  only  by  an  exact  system 
that  he  was  able  to  care  for  his  parish 
of  15,000  souls.  His  work  was  done  by 
"  drawing  lines  in  the  parish ;  by  divid- 
ing the  people  into  sections  and  classes  ; 
by  attending  to  each  class  separately,  sys- 
tematically, and  at  a  given  time."  Although 
thousands  professed  conversion  during  the 
years  1836-183 7,  only  a  small  proportion  of 
these  had  been  received  into  the  church. 
Over  these  converts  Mr.  Coan  kept  a  vigi- 
lant watch  ;  and,  after  a  lapse  of  three,  six, 
nine,  or  twelve  months,  selections  were 
made  for  admission   to  the  church. 

The  first  Sunday  of  July,  1838,  was  a 
memorable  one  in  the  history  of  missions. 
On  that  afternoon  1,705  men,  women,  and 
children  were  baptized,  and  about  2,400 
communicants  sat  down  together  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  a  scene  that  has  had 
but  one  parallel  since  the  day  of  Pente- 
.  cost,  and  that  was  in  connection  with  the 


26  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

labors  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clough  in  India. 
In  speaking  of  this  scene,  Mr.  Coan  said, 
"  The  memorable  morning  came  arrayed 
in  glory;  the  very  heavens  over  us  and  the 
earth  around  us  seemed  to  smile.  From 
my  roll  each  name  was  read  ;  and  after  all 
were  seated,  I  passed  back  and  forth  be- 
tween the  lines,  sprinkling  each  individual, 
until  all  were  baptized."  During  the  three 
years  ending  April,  1840,  7,382  persons 
were  received  into  the  church  at  Hilo. 
Between  the  years  1864  and  1868,  six 
churches  were  built  and  set  off  from  the 
old  one,  and  each  was  under  the  care  of 
a  native  preacher.  Hawaiian  money  and 
labor  have  added  many  churches  to  this 
number  ;  and,  in  visiting  the  islands  in 
1870,  Mr.  Stoddard  writes  of  these  "pretty 
little  meeting-houses,  looking  as  though 
they  had  been  baked  in  a  lot,  like  a  sheet 
of  biscuits." 

After  an  absence  of  more  than  thirty- 
five  years,  during  which  time  Mr.  Coan 
had  baptized  by  his  own  hand  1 1 .960  per- 
sons, at   the    invitation    of   the   American 


TTTUS  CO  AN.  2  J 

Board  he  returned,  with  Mrs.  Coan,  to 
the  United  States.  The  visit  was  full  of 
interest  ;  but  the  hoped-for  restoration 
of  health  did  not  come  to  Mrs.  Coan, 
and  soon  after  their  return  to  Hilo  she 
died,  Sept.   29,    1872. 

Mrs.  Coan's  work  was  ever  constant  and 
tireless.  She  was  a  woman  of  hio-h  social 
and  intellectual  cultivation,  and  missionary 
work  for  her  was  a  sacrifice.  To  her  pa- 
tient, unselfish,  loving-  spirit  was  due  a 
great  part  of  her  husband's  success.  While 
Mr.  Coan  was  intent  upon  his  great  work 
as  a  missionary,  he  was  not  insensible  to 
the  scenes  of  natural  beauty  and  grandeur 
about  him.  The  scientific  world  is  fortu- 
nate in  having  had  upon  the  ground  for 
nearly  fifty  years,  when  such  volcanic 
forces  were  at  play,  one  whose  courage 
was  equalled  only  by  his  graphic  skill  in 
portraying  the  most  imposing  of  phenom- 
ena. One  fruit  of  the  faithful  training-  of 
Mr.  Coan  is  the  growth  of  beneficence  in 
the  churches.  More  than  $10,000  have 
come  to  the  United  States  from  the  Hilo 
church. 


28  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

This  item  adds  strength  to  the  statement 
of  Lorrin  A.  Thurston,  in  a  recent  article  in 
the  North  American  Revieiv  :  "  The  direct 
financial  advantao^es  accruinor  to  the  United 
States  and  its  citizens,  which  they  would 
not  have  received  but  for  the  treaty  of 
1876,  have  more  than  repaid,  dollar  for  dol- 
lar, all  loss  by  the  United  States  through 
remission  of  duties  under  the  reciprocity 
treaty." 

Whence  came  this  matter  of  political 
treaties  and  civilization  to  Hawaii  ?  Surely 
throuo-h  the  American  missionaries  who 
first  introduced  Christianity  and  refined  in- 
stitutions to  its  people,  prominent  among 
whom  was  the  Rev.  Titus  Coan,  who,  after 
a  pastorate  of  forty-eight  years,  died  at 
Hilo,  Dec.  I,  1882. 


III. 

WILLIAM  GOOD  ELL, 

Missionary  to  Turkey. 
Born  Feb.  14,  1792  ;  Died  Feb.  18,  1867. 


WILLIAM    GOODELL. 


III. 

WILLIAM  GOO  DELL. 

It  is  many  years  since  anything  could 
be  found  that  marked  the  birthplace  of 
William  Goodell  in  the  litde  town  of 
Templeton,  Mass.  But  in  1792  there 
stood  upon  a  hillside  just  outside  the 
village,  a  one-story  house,  containing  a 
earret  floored  with  rouMi  boards,  beneath 
which  were  two  rooms.  One  of  these 
rooms  answered  the  purpose  of  kitchen, 
dining-room,  and  parlor ;  the  other  was  a 
small  bedroom,  containing  a  bed  for  the 
parents,  and  under  this  a  trundle-bed  that 
was  rolled  out  at  night  for  the  children. 
The  family  library,  composed  of  the  Bible, 
Watts's  "  Psalms,"  Pike's  ''  Cases  of  Con- 
science," the  second  volume  of  Foxe's 
"  Book  of  Martyrs,"  and  the  "  Assembly's 
Catechism,"  was  counted  the  richest  pos- 
session. 31 


3  2  GREA  T  MISSION  A  RIES. 

In  this  typical  New  England  home  was 
born  William  Goodell,  Feb.  14,  1792. 
The  piety  of  his  father  was  of  the  rarest 
type  ;  and  he  presents  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  times,  seated  upon  the  stout  old  family 
horse,  holding  one  child  in  his  arms,  his 
wife  sitting  on  a  pillion  behind,  with  an- 
other child  in  her  arms,  and  a  third  cling- 
ing to  her  —  all  on  their  way  to  the  church 
in  spite  of  storm  or  tempest.  Mrs.  Goodell, 
the  mother,  though  called  to  a  life  of 
pinching  economy,  and  at  length  of  pain- 
ful and  protracted  illness,  was  the  embodi- 
ment of  delicacy,  taste,  and  industry,  as 
well  as  of  meekness  and  devoted  piety. 

William  Goodell  had  a  delicate  constitu- 
tion, and  it  was  evident  early  that  he  could 
not  endure  a  life  of  manual  labor.  His 
father  earnestly  desired  that  he  should  be- 
come a  minister,  and  encouraged  his  son 
to  attempt  an  education,  although  he  had 
no  money.  At  length  they  heard  of  bene- 
ficiary aid  given  at  Phillips  Academy,  and 
the  son  caught  at  this  hope.  He  walked 
and    rode    sixty   miles    to   Andover,    and 


WILLIAM   GOODELL.  33 

walked  the  whole  distance  back  home 
again,  weary  and  footsore.  The  charity 
fund  was  overloaded ;  and  he  must,  for 
one  quarter  at  least,  get  on  without  help. 
The  time  soon  came  for  the  opening  of 
the  term,  and  without  money  or  credit 
this  lad  set  forth  aeain ;  and  there  is  no 
braver  or  more  pathetic  sight  than  that  of 
William  Goodell  plodding  his  way  through 
sixty  miles,  his  trunk  strapped  to  his  back, 
to  the  permanent  injury  of  his  spine,  the 
boys  hooting  at  him  in  the  streets.  At 
Andover  he  found  a  temporary  home  in 
the  house  of  an  intemperate  shoemaker, 
whose  wife  bestowed  upon  him  with  kind- 
ness the  few  comforts  her  very  humble 
home  provided.  His  family  refer  with 
pride  to  his  first  lesson  at  the  academy. 
It  was  in  the  Latin  grammar.  When  called 
on,  he  recited  the  first  page  verbatim, 
coarse  print  and  fine,  notes  and  all ;  then 
the  second  and  third  page  in  like  manner, 
much  to  the  satisfied  amusement  of  his 
instructor,  Mr.  Adams;  and  from  that  mo- 
ment he  kept  the  good-will  of  his  teachers. 


34  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

At  the  close  of  this  first  quarter,  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor   PhilHps    volunteered    to 
pay   the    boy's    expenses.     In   his    second 
year  his  uncle,   Solomon   Goodell  of  Ver- 
mont, wrote  to  Mr.  Adams  to  know  if  the 
boy   was    "  worth    raising,"    and    received 
such  a  reply  that  he  sent  him  a  fine  yoke 
of  oxen.       After  his    preparatory   studies 
he  entered  Dartmouth  College,  Sept.  24, 
18 13.     Here,  through  the  influence  of  Mr. 
Adams,   he   received   $100    per  year  from 
the    beneficiary   funds    of    Kimball    Union 
Academy.       This    amount,    together    with 
the    money    received    from    his    teaching 
school  during  the  winter,  defrayed  his  col- 
lege expenses.     The  glimpses  had  of  his 
college  life   show    the    same    mingling    of 
good-humor,    earnest    activity,    and    piety 
which  characterized  his  whole  subsequent 

life. 

Near  the  close  of  his  freshman  year  he 
seems  to  have  considered  the  question  of 
entering  the  missionary  field  ;  and  in  18 17 
he  became  one  of  the  sacred  band  in  the 
theological  seminary  at  Andover,  —  the 
missionary  band. 


WILLIAM  GOODELL.  35 

After  his  graduation  he  made  an  en- 
o-ao-ement  to  visit  several  States,  and 
awaken  interest  in  foreign  missions  ;  and 
in  this  work  met  with  much  success.  In 
September,  1S22,  the  American  Board 
held  its  annual  meeting  at  New  Haven, 
Conn. ;  and  Mr.  Goodell  was  then  ordained, 
and  destined  to  the  mission  in  Palestine. 
On  November  19  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Abigail  Davis  at  Holden,  Mass.  ;  and  a 
few  days  later  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodell 
embarked  from  New  York  in  the  vessel 
Shepherdess. 

The  Shepherdess,  after  a  pleasant  and 
prosperous  voyage,  arrived,  Jan.  21,  1823,- 
at  the  island  of  Malta,  then  a  sort  of 
schoolhouse  where  the  missionaries  bound 
for  the  Orient  prepared  for  their  future 
labors.  There  the  Goodells  remained  until 
Oct.  22,  1823,  when  they  left  for  Beyrout. 
Owing  to  the  unsettled  state  of  things  at 
Jerusalem,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
remain  there  for  a  time.  Extracts  from 
Mr.  Goodell's  letters  give  vivid  pictures 
of    their    life    and    surroundings    at    this 


36  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

place.  A  single  passage  will  show  how 
many  languages  it  was  necessary  the  mis- 
sionaries should  be  familiar  with  :  "  We 
must  daily  read  the  Scriptures  in  ancient 
Greek,  modern  Greek,  Armenian,  Arabic, 
Italian,  and  English,  and  frequently  hear 
them  read  in  Syriac,  Hebrew,  and  French." 
For  a  time  everything  connected  with 
the  missionary  work  in  Beyrout  went  on 
prosperously.  Within  the  first  year  an 
order  from  the  Maronite  patriarch  forbade 
the  people  to  receive  the  Holy  Scriptures 
circulated  by  the  missionaries,  and  re- 
quired all  to  return  them  or  burn  those 
they  had  received.  The  war  between 
Greece  and  Turkey  was  then  raging.  The 
lives  of  the  missionaries  were  in  constant 
danger.  For  two  years  Mr.  Goodell  sel- 
dom closed  his  eyes  to  sleep  without  first 
planning  means  of  escape.  His  family 
was  at  length  sent  to  the  mountains  for 
safety,  and  he  could  only  visit  them  by 
stealth.  The  continuance  of  the  troubles 
determined  them  to  withdraw  for  a  time 
to  Malta,  where  Mr.   Goodell  commenced 


WILLIAM  GOOD  ELL.  37 

his  great  work  of  translating  the  Bible  into 
Armeno-Turkish ;  and  here  he  issued  the 
entire  New  Testament. 

In  1 83  I  the  Board  sent  Mr.  Goodell  to 
the  chief  scene  of  his  lifelong  labors  in 
Constantinople.  His  wife  and  the  women 
who  accompanied  her  were  supposed  to 
be  the  first  American  women  who  ever 
visited   the  place. 

Two  months  after  their  arrival  came 
that  terrible  conflagration  which  swept 
more  than  a  square  mile  of  the  city  with 
indiscriminate  destruction.  It  consumed 
nearly  all  of  Mr.  Goodell's  property,  in- 
cluding manuscripts  and  books.  For  a 
time  he  was  a  wanderer ;  and  three  weeks 
later  found  himself  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
plague  and  cholera,  with  his  wife  and  new- 
born son.  In  spite  of  all  his  misfortunes, 
he  preached  wherever  he  could  find  an 
audience;  and  an  American  traveller  who 
was  present  at  one  of  these  services  wrote : 
"  It  is  certainly  not  among  the  least  of 
the  novelties  of  our  situation  to  hear  a 
Yankee    clergyman     preaching    in    Italian 


38  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

on  the  banks  of  the  Bosporus,  to  an  audi- 
ence composed  of  representatives  of  half 
a  dozen  nations  assembled  from  various 
quarters  of  the  globe." 

Within  a  few  weeks  Mr.  Goodell  had 
established  amono-  the  Greeks  four  so- 
called  Lancasterian  schools,  which  were 
soon  largely  increased  in  number.  He 
was  also  engaged  in  personal  work  with 
the  Armenians. 

The  first  school  for  girls,  in  May,  1832, 
created  a  great  commotion.  The  gospel 
began  to  take  effect ;  and,  in  spite  of  many 
trials,  Mr.  Goodell's  work  was  most  suc- 
cessful until  the  persecution,  attended  with 
exile  and  imprisonment  of  converts,  in 
1839.  At  this  time  from  six  to  ten  thou- 
sand victims  VN^eekly  were  dying  from  the 
plague.  Everything  was  suspended  but 
sickness  and  death.  The  persecution  did 
not  abate  with  the  cholera  ;  it  grew  fiercer 
and  fiercer,  and  threatened  to  break  up  all 
missionary  operations.  But  at  the  darkest 
moment  the  sultan's  army  was  defeated  at 
Aleppo  ;  and  in  the  sudden  death  of  Sul- 


WILLIAM  GOODRLL.  39 

tan  MahnioLid  himself  the  hand  of  violence 
was  arrested. 

In  the  year  1841  Mr.  Goodell  had  ac- 
complished what  may  be  considered  his 
greatest  achievement,  —  the  translation  of 
the  entire  Bible  into  the  Armeno-Turkish 
lano-uaofe.  It  was  a  toilsome  but  lovinor 
labor  of  many  years,  and  was  revised 
aeain  and  aeain,  to  become  one  of  the 
landmarks  of  missionary  effort  in  Turkey. 
After  the  publication  of  the  Armeno-Turk- 
ish Bible,  he  was  enabled  to  engage  in 
a  greater  variety  of  labors,  and  to  exert 
a  steadily  growing  influence  within  and 
without  the  missionary  circle. 

To  follow  him  throucrh  the  details  of 
his  missionary  life  and  experiences,  would 
be  to  give  a  history  of  the  mission  in  Con- 
stantinople for  a  generation.  He  preached 
the  gospel  in  six  different  languages,  and 
by  his  scholarship  he  achieved  "  a  work 
that  fairly  places  his  name  beside  that  of 
Wyclifte  and  Tyndale." 

When  Mr.  Goodell  entered  Constanti- 
nople  he  was  surrounded  by  misrepresen- 


40  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

tation  and  opposition  on  every  hand,  and 
his  work  seemed  to  promise  httle  success  ; 
but  he  lived  to  rejoice  in  the  achievement 
of  his  fondest  hope,  to  see  the  Turkish 
government  steadily  change  its  attitude,  a 
formal  bill  of  rights  issued  in  1839,  a  char- 
ter granted  in  1850  for  the  Protestant 
church,  schools  for  girls,  colleges  and  the- 
oloo-ical  seminaries  flourishine  in  the  Tur- 
kish  empire,  an  energetic  band  of  churches 
organized,  and  the  American  mission-work 
in  Turkey  profoundly  respected. 

Mr.  Goodell  was  himself  deeply  loved 
and  honored.  After  nearly  thirty  years 
of  voluntary  exile,  he  and  Mrs.  Goodell 
visited  America  in  1851,  by  special  request 
of  the  American  Board.  And  for  the  two 
years  following  he  gave  his  time  entirely 
to  travelling  in  this  country  in  aid  of  for- 
eign missions.  He  addressed  more  than 
four  hundred  congregations,  and  met  the 
students  of  many  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries. 

In  1853  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Goodell  returned 
to  Constantinople.    In  this  year  began  the 


WILLIAM  GOODRLL.  41 

Crimean  War,  which  for  a  time  clouded 
the  missions  in  Turkey,  and  was  the  occa- 
sion of  much  anxiety  to  the  friends  of  the 
cause  throughout  the  world.  But  in  1856 
the  sacred  edict,  known  as  the  Hatti-Hu- 
mayoun,  was  issued  by  the  sultan,  and 
was  reg-arded  by  the  friends  of  evangeHcal 
Christianity  as  a  real  charter  of  religious 
freedom  to  all  subjects. 

From  this  time  Dr.  Goodell  continued 
his  work  with  increasino-  influence  and 
honor,  and  to  the  ever-enduringf  cause  of 
Christianity.  But  at  last  failing  strength 
and  advancing  years  admonished  him  that 
his  work  in  foreign  lands  was  nearly  done. 
He  published  forty-eight  of  his  sermons 
in  the  Turkish  language,  wrote  a  farewell 
letter  to  the  Protestant  churches,  and  re- 
quested of  the  American  Board  a  release. 

After  his  arrival  in  America  he  made  his 
home  with  his  son  in  Philadelphia.  Here 
he  had  a  Bible-class  of  business  men,  and 
entered  into  the  Christian  activities  of  the 
times.  Durinor  the  remaininof  eiofhteen 
months  of  his  life  he  visited  many  cities, 


42  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  addressed  laro-e  audiences.  The  most 
memorable  of  all  his  appearances  in  public 
was  when  he  attended  the  meeting  of  the 
American  Board  in  Chicago,  October,  1865, 
No  one  will  ever  foro-et  him  who  saw  him 
there,  with  his  velvet  cap  wrought  with 
Arabic  sentences  by  the  schoolgirls  of 
Aleppo,  or  who  felt  the  hush  when  he 
rose  and  addressed  the  great  assembly  : 
"  When  I  went  from  my  native  land  in 
1822  it  was  to  go  to  Jerusalem;  there  I 
expected  to  live,  to  labor,  and  to  die.  I 
have  never  been  there.  I  have  now  set 
my  face  toward  the  New  Jerusalem,  taking 
Chicago  in  my  way." 

Mr.  Goodell  died  the  following  year ; 
and  Mrs.  Goodell,  the  lovinor  and  faithful 
companion  of  his  entire  missionary  life, 
who  had  shared  his  toils  and  trials  by  land 
and  sea,  who  had  lived  to  return  with  him 
to  their  native  land,  survived  him  but  a 
short  time,  dying  at  the  house  of  her  son, 
Dr.  William  Goodell,  in  the  summer  of 
1871. 


IV. 

WILLIAM   CAREY, 

Missionary  to  India. 
Born  Aug.  17,  1761 ;  Died  June  9,  1834. 


WILLIAM   CAREY. 


IV. 

WILL/AM  CAREY. 

William  Carey,  "  the  father  and  founder 
of  modern  missions,"  was  born  at  Paulers- 
bury,  Northamptonshire,  Eng.,  Aug.  17, 
1 76 1.  It  is  beheved  that  his  early  ances- 
tors were  of  considerable  social  prominence ; 
yet  at  the  time  of  his  birth  his  father,  Ed- 
mund Carey,  was  a  journeyman  weaver 
with  a  moderate  income;  but  in  1767  he 
obtained  the  twofold  office  of  schoolmaster 
and  parish  clerk. 

William  was  taught  by  his  father,  and 
soon  began  an  eager  pursuit  for  knowl- 
edge, books  of  science,  history,  and  travel 
being  of  especial  interest  to  him.  When 
very  young  he  had  great  fondness  for 
botany,  and  many  were  the  specimens 
he  brought  home  as  a  result  of  quests 
amonost  the  lanes  and  haunts  of  Whittle- 

45 


46  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

bury  Forests.  Physical  ailments  unfitted 
him  for  outdoor  occupations  ;  and  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  he  was  apprenticed  to 
a  shoemaker,  and  thus  linked,  says  Dr. 
George  Smith,  to  a  succession  of  scholars 
and  divines,  poets  and  critics,  reformers 
and  philanthropists,  who  have  used  the 
shoemaker's  life  to  become  illustrious. 

A  revolution  took  place  in  William  Ca- 
rey's life  at  his  eighteenth  year.  Though 
brought  up  as  a  strict  Churchman,  as  be- 
came the  son  of  the  parish  clerk,  he  had 
fallen,  through  association  with  dissolute 
companions,  into  error  ;  but  owing  to  the 
efforts  of  a  fellow-workman,  he  became 
converted,  and  from  this  time  to  the  close 
of  his  life  he  was  a  devout  student  of  the 
Scriptures.  On  June  lo,  1 781,  he  married 
Dorothy  Plackett,  his  employer's  sister-in- 
law.  Mrs.  Carey  had  little  sympathy  with 
her  husband's  tastes,  but  he  always  treated 
her  with  noble  tenderness.  Domestic  and 
business  troubles  followed  him  closely.  In 
her  second  year  his  little  girl  was  taken 
from   him  ;    he   himself  was    stricken  with 


WILLIAM  CAREY.  47 

fever ;  starvation  was  staring  him  in  the 
face,  when  his  brother,  only  a  youth,  came 
to  his  rehef,  and,  with  the  aid  of  friends, 
secured  for  him  a  Httle  cottage  in  Pidding- 
ton,  where  Carey,  besides  continuing  his 
shoemaking,  opened  an  evening  school. 
Attending  the  meetingrs  of  the  association 
at  Olney,  Carey  met  the  future  secretary 
of  the  missionary  society,  Andrew  Fuller. 
As  a  result  of  this  meeting,  Carey  began 
to  exercise  his  gifts  as  a  preacher.  The 
Dissenters  in  his  native  village  soon  sent 
for  him  to  preach  for  them.  His  mother 
went  openly  to  hear  him,  and  declared  if 
he  lived  he  would  become  a  great  preacher  ; 
his  father,  being  the  parish  clerk,  heard 
him  clandestinely  on  one  occasion,  and, 
though  a  reserved  man,  expressed  himself 
as  highly  gratified. 

Soon  after  Carey  united  with  the  church 
at  Olney,  and  was  by  that  body  formally 
set  apart  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  A 
field  of  action  soon  offered  in  Moulton, 
where  he,  after  many  preliminaries,  was 
ordained    pastor   of    the     Baptist    church. 


48  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Here  his  income  was  only  ten  pounds  per 
annum  ;  and  after  failing  to  increase  it  by 
teaching,  he  resumed  his  shoemaking  in 
connection  with  the  ministry.  During  the 
time  of  his  pastorate  in  Moulton,  Mr. 
Carey  brooded  continually  over  the  con- 
dition of  the  world,  and  became  convinced 
that  the  spreading  of  Christianity  was  a 
responsibility  which  all  the  converted  ought 
to  assume. 

In  April,  1789,  Carey  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  Harvey  Lane  Church  at  Leices- 
ter. Here  he  was  brought  into  associa- 
tion with  men  of  culture,  and  books  were 
freely  placed  at  his  disposal.  The  course 
of  events  was  now  rapidly  moving  toward 
the  formation  of  the  missionary  society. 
At  the  annual  meetincr  of  the  association 
held  at  Nottingham,  Carey  was  one  of  the 
preachers.  He  chose  for  his  text  Isa.  liv. 
2,  3,  which  was  paraphrased  as  follows: 
"Expect  great  things  from  God,"  "At- 
tempt great  things  for  God.''  The  impres- 
sion made  by  the  discourse  was  so  decided 
that  the  following  resolution  was  passed : 


WILLIAM  CAREY.  49 

"  That  aeainst  the  next  meetino[-  at  Ket- 
tenng,  a  plan  should  be  prepared  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  society  for  propa- 
gating the  gospel  among  the  heathen." 

The  meeting  was  duly  held  on  October 
2,  and  a  collection  of  thirteen  pounds 
made  ;  so  the  great  missionary  enterprise 
was  duly  inaugurated.  At  this  time  a 
ship  surgeon,  John  Thomas,  who  had  been 
in  India,  and  had  preached  to  the  Hindus, 
had  just  returned  to  England,  and  was  try- 
ing to  establish  a  fund  in  London  for  a 
mission  to  Bengal.  Carey  suggested  that 
it  might  be  desirable  for  the  society  to 
co-operate,  and  a  resolution  was  passed 
to  send  Mr.  Thomas  and  Mr.  Carey  into 
India  as  missionaries.  Many  difficulties 
arose  before  their  final  departure,  June 
13,  1793,  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  and 
their  child,  Mr.  Carey  and  his  family,  con- 
sisting of  wife  and  three  children,  em- 
barked.  After  a  voyage  of  five  months 
they  arrived  at  Calcutta,  November  9. 

Thomas's  knowledofe  of  India  was  an 
advantage  to  Carey ;  but  his  lack  of  judg- 


50  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

ment,  and  the  debts  he  had  incurred  in  his 
residence  there,  estranged  from  the  mis- 
sionaries some  European  Christians  who 
had  otherwise  been  their  friends.  Calcutta 
being  found  too  expensive  as  a  place  of 
residence,  they  removed  to  Bandel  for  a 
time.  But  no  facilities  for  missionary  work 
were  afforded  them  there  ;  so  they  returned 
to  Calcutta,  where  they  underwent  vicissi- 
tudes of  all  kinds  until  June,  1794,  when 
Mr.  George  Udny,  at  Malda  (a  former 
friend  of  Mr.  Thomas),  offered  the  man- 
agement of  two  indicjo  manufactories  re- 
spectively  to  Carey  and  Thomas.  The 
factory  which  Carey  was  to  superintend 
was  at  Mudnabatty  ;  and  besides  a  salary 
of  200  rupees  per  month,  he  was  promised 
a  commission  upon  the  sales.  Carey  at 
once  communicated  with  the  secretary  of 
the  society  that  he  should  not  need  more 
supplies,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  an- 
other mission  be  beo-un  elsewhere.  The 
duties  at  the  factory  allowed  time  for  the 
work  of  the  mission. 

Mr.  Carey  made    such    progress  in  the 


WILLIAM  CAREY.  5 1 

Study  of  Bengalee  as  to  be  able  to  preach 
intelligibly  to  the  natives.  He  started  a 
school,  and  worked  vigorously  at  transla- 
tion. In  the  midst  of  his  great  work  he 
lost  his  little  son  Peter,  and  finally  was 
himself  prostrated  with  the  fever,  which 
lasted  several  months.  Carey  remained  in 
Mudnabatty  until  Jan.  lo,  [800,  when,  with 
his  wife  and  four  children,  he  joined  a  lit- 
tle colony  of  missionaries,  who,  through  his 
influence,  had  come  to  India  and  settled  at 
Serampore,  a  little  village  founded  by  the 
Dutch  in  1755. 

The  missionaries  found  a  home  in  a  large 
house  in  the  middle  of  the  town,  purchased 
from  a  nephew  of  the  Danish  governor. 
They  lived  in  perfect  unity,  "  and  what  one 
had  was  another's,"  and  thus  began  the 
great  missionary  enterprise  at  Serampore. 
The  name  of  the  first  Hindu  convert  was 
Krishnu  Pal,  and  the  baptism  of  this  native 
was  a  most  memorable  scene.  Carey  going 
down  into  the  river,  taking  first  his  son 
Felix  and  baptizing  him,  using  English 
words ;  then  Krishnu  went  down  and  was 


52  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

baptized,  the  words  being  in  Bengalee. 
All  was  silence  and  attention.  The  gov- 
ernor could  not  restrain  his  tears,  and 
every  one  seemed  to  be  impressed  with 
the  solemnity  of  this  sacred  ordinance. 

Feb.  7,  iSoi,  saw  the  issuing  of  Carey's 
translation  of  the  New  Testament,  On  the 
completion  of  this  great  undertaking,  a 
special  meeting  was  convened  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  thanks  unto  God.  The 
publication  of  the  Bengalee  New  Testa- 
ment naturally  directed  attention  to  Mr. 
Carey.  The  eminent  scholarship  it  dis- 
closed pointed  him  out  at  once  as  the 
teacher  who  might  fittingly  occupy  the 
Beno-alee  chair  in  the  orovernment  colleg-e 
at  Fort  William.  His  first  position  was 
that  of  teacher  of  Bengalee,  afterwards  of 
Sanscrit  and  of  Mahratta,  with  a  salary 
of  ^600  per  annum. 

From  teacher  he  became  professor.  As 
professor  of  the  three  Oriental  languages 
his  emoluments  rose  to  ^15,000.  But  the 
whole  of  this  income,  with  the  exception 
of   some  ^40  needed  for  the   support  of 


WIILIAM  CAREY.  53 

his  family,  he  devoted  to  the  interests  of 
the  mission.  Carey  held  his  position 
of  professor  until  1830,  within  four  years 
of  his  death,  and  proved  himself  more  than 
equal  to  his  office,  winning  the  esteem  and 
affection  of  students  and  colleacrues  alike. 
It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  Seram- 
pore  labors  would  be  allowed  to  proceed 
without  political  interference.  Serious  dif- 
ficulties arose,  threatening  not  only  the 
existence  of  the  press,  but  of  the  mission 
itself.  As  the  time  drew  near  for  the  re- 
newal of  the  East  India  Company's  char- 
ter, the  friends  of  missions  directed  their 
efforts  toward  securing  the  introduction 
of  clauses  permitting  the  free  entrance  of 
missionaries  into  India,  and  liberty  to 
propagate  the  Christian  religion.  The  bill 
passed  the  Commons,  July  13,  and  was 
accepted  by  the  Lords,  and  entrance  was 
granted. 

The  new  chapel  at  Calcutta  was  duly 
opened,  Jan.  i,  1809,  and  Carey  conducted 
the  week-day  services  there.  And  while  his 
professional  engagements  and  his  literary 


54  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

pursuits  detained  him  often  in  Serampore 
and  Calcutta,  yet  he  eagerly  seized  any  op- 
portunity that  arose  for  itinerating,  with 
a  view  to  extending  Christianity.  In  1807 
Mrs.  Carey  died,  having  long  suffered  from 
insanity ;  and  in  the  following  year  Carey 
married  Miss  Charlotte  Rumohr,  of  noble 
Danish  descent.  She  entered  heartily  into 
'all  the  concerns  of  the  mission,  and  was  a 
great  help  to  her  husband  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  1820. 

Besides  translating-  the  Bible  into  seven 
different  languages,  Mr.  Carey  wrote  gram- 
mars and  elementary  books  of  all  the  lan- 
guages he  had  acquired.  The  improvement 
upon  native  paper  for  press  purposes,  by 
manufacturing  it  so  as  to  be  proof  against 
destruction  by  insects,  was  an  immense 
advantage  gained  by  the  ingenuity  of 
the  missionaries,  and  the  importation  of 
a  steam-engine  of  twelve  horse-power  for 
working  their  paper-mill  was  a  striking 
evidence  of  the  enterprise  of  these  men. 

No  memoir  of  William  Carey  would  be 
complete  which  did  not  record  his  benevo- 


WILLIAM  CAREY.  55 

lent  endeavors  to  improve  the  social  con- 
dition of  the  natives  of  India.  The  first 
reform  he  helped  to  effect  was  the  prohibi- 
tion of  the  sacrifice  of  children  at  the  great 
annual  festival  at  Gunga  Sanger.  Another 
reform  to  which  Carey  gave  his  determined 
attention  was  the  abolition  of  burning  wid- 
ows on  the  pile  of  their  dead  husbands. 

The  benevolent  institutions  for  instruct- 
ing the  children  of  indigent  parents  origi- 
nated In  the  philanthropic  sympathies  of 
Carey;  and  in  the  year  1817  no  less  than 
forty-five  schools  had  been  established.  A 
leper  hospital  was  founded,  and  a  vernacu- 
lar newspaper  published. 

Carey  possessed  in  not  a  few  branches 
of  natural  history  a  knowledge  so  scientific 
that  it  was  more  than  sufficient  to  com- 
mand respect.  His  practical  knowledge 
of  botany  and  agriculture  resulted  In  very 
material  benefit  to  India,  and  lays  that 
country  under  a  debt  of  obligation  which 
can  never  be  discharged.  In  181 7  was 
begun  the  missionary  training  Institute, 
which    afterwards   grew  to  a  college,  and 


56  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

was  placed  upon  the  same  basis  as  other 
colleges  of  Europe. 

For  forty-one  years  William  Carey  was 
spared  to  labor  for  the  good  of  India.  He 
outlived  nearly  all  who  were  associated 
with  him  in  his  prolonged  residence,  un- 
broken by  any  return  to  England.  He 
died  June  9,    1834. 

During  his  lifetime  Carey's  great  attain- 
ments called  forth  honorable  recognition. 
Brown  University  in  the  United  States  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of  D.D.  The 
Linnaean,  Horticultural,  and  Geological  So- 
cieties admitted  him  to  their  memberships ; 
and  men  of  high  position,  such  as  the 
Marquis  of  Wellesley  and  Lord  Hastings, 
extolled  his  worth.  But  he  cared  little 
for  worldly  praise  ;  his  great  desire  "  to 
be  useful  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  in  India"  was  surely  ac- 
complished, and  he  wished  for  "no  greater 
reward,"  "  no  higher  honor." 


V. 

WILLI  A  Af  G.   SCHAUFFLER, 

Born  Aug.  22,  179S;    Died  January,  1S83. 


WILLIAM   G.   SCHAUFFLER. 


V. 

WILLIAM  G.   SCHAUFFLER. 

William  G.  Schauffler  was  born  at 
Stuttgart,  the  capital  of  Wurtemberg,  Aug. 
22,  1798.  In  consequence  of  the  constant 
wars  which  had  shaken  Europe  ever  since 
the  great  French  Revohition  of  1789,  the 
fortunes  of  the  Schauffler  family  became 
depleted;  and  in  1804  William  Schauffler's 
father,  Philip  Frederick  Schauffler,  led  a 
band  of  colonists  to  Russia,  where  great 
inducements  were  held  out  to  German  set- 
tlers by  Catharine  the  Second,  who  desired 
to  people  the  uninhabited,  though  fertile, 
lands  of  the  Volora  and  Ukraina,  These 
colonists  were  exempted  from  all  taxation 
for  thirty  years ;  their  descendants,  now 
very  numerous,  still  inhabit  the  country 
and  preserve  unbroken  the  German  lan- 
guage and  customs,  and  from  them  come 

59 


6o  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

many  of  the  emigrants  now  found  in  the 
Dakotas  and  other  parts  of  the  United 
States. 

The  Schaufflers,  after  being  on  the  road 
nine  months,  arrived  in  1805  '^t  Odessa, 
then  a  village  on  the  sea-coast  of  South 
Russia,  and  governed  by  the  Duke  of 
Richelieu,  afterward  premier  under  Louis 
XVIII.  of  France.  The  governor  knew 
German  well,  and  through  his  influence 
Philip  Schauffler  was  made  mayor  of  the 
German  population  of  Odessa. 

There  were  then  no  German  schools  in 
the  village,  and  the  Schauffler  children 
were  taught  by  a  clerk  of  their  father's. 
William  studied  French  with  his  sister,  and 
learned  to  play  on  the  flute.  He  con- 
structed a  beautiful  instrument,  and  all 
his  life  charmed  his  friends  by  his  exqui- 
site playing.  The  Schaufflers  were  models 
of  morality,  and  entertained  "orthodox" 
views,  but  enjoyed  few  religious  advan- 
tages. They,  as  a  family,  possessed  an 
innate  refinement  and  culture ;  and  the 
musical  ability  of  the  children  caused  their 


WILLIAM  G.   SCHAUFFLER.  6 1 

entree  into  circles  far  above  them  in  social 
standing-,  and  prevented  their  mingling 
with  the  uneducated,  and  for  the  most 
part  unprincipled,  Germans  then  inhabit- 
inof  the  villasfe. 

William  learned  a  trade,  and  helped  in 
the  support  of  the  family.  Until  "  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  he  lived  in  the  world  and 
for  the  world."  Though  criven  to  much 
serious  thinking,  he  became  very  fond  of 
worldly  amusements  ;  but  his  chief  passion 
was  music.  In  1820  there  came  to  Odessa 
the  Catholic  priest  Lindl,  afterward  ex- 
communicated from  the  Roman  Church. 
He  preached  with  great  power,  and  drew 
young  Schauffler  to  his  services,  where  he 
was  converted.  Missionary  work  early 
attracted  Schauffler's  attention ;  and  five 
years  later,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  in- 
vited by  "  the  ardent  but  eccentric  Dr. 
Wolff,"  he  left  home  and  accompanied  him 
to  Persia.  He  barely  escaped  shipwreck 
before  reaching  the  Bosporus. 

He  found  the  plans  of  Dr.  Wolff  imprac- 
ticable, and  now  turned  to  Andover,  Mass., 


62  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

instead  of  England,  as  he  first  intended, 
for  preparation  for  a  missionary  career. 
After  a  weary  voyage  of  four  months,  he 
arrived  in  Boston  with  eleven  dollars  in 
his  pocket.  He  was  cautiously,  but  po- 
litely, received  by  Secretary  Evarts  of  the 
American  Board,  and 'by  him  advised  to 
confer  with  the  professors  at  Andover. 
His  linguistic  attainments  won  favor  with 
them,  and  a  year  of  preparation  for  the 
seminary  was  soon  decided  upon.  He 
proposed  to  sell  his  flute  to  buy  books, 
and  to  work  at  his  trade  for  self-support. 
The  students  bought  his  flute  for  $50, 
then  gave  it  to  him  on  condition  that  he 
would  play  at  their  meetings. 

He  remained  in  Andover  five  years, 
engaging  in  arduous  study  and  assisting 
the  professors.  Besides  Greek  and  He- 
brew, he  studied  Chaldee,  Syriac,  Arabic, 
Samaritan,  Rabbinic,  Persian,  Turkish,  and 
Spanish  ;  but  to  accomplish  this  he  ab- 
stained from  all  miscellaneous  reading  and 
hardly  looked  at  a  newspaper.  He  was 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  French  Revolution 


WILLIAM  G.   SCIIAUFFLER.  63 

of  1830,  and  reached  France  in  1831  not 
knowing  Louis  Philippe  was  on  the  throne. 
While  enofaofed  in  his  scholastic  course, 
William  often  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  then 
just  starting  as  a  manufacturing  centre,  to 
conduct  religious  meetings,  and  ^ave  much 
energy  and  zeal  to  this  work. 

He  was  ordained  in  Park-street  Church, 
Boston,  Nov.  14,  183 1,  a  missionary  of 
the  American  Board.  He  was  first  sent 
to  Paris  to  continue  his  linguistic  studies, 
but  in  a  few  months  passed  from  the  then 
plague-smitten  city  to  Odessa,  by  way  of 
his  birthplace,  and  after  a  brief  sojourn  full 
of  evanofelistic  labor  went  on  to  Constan- 
tinople.  He  was  sent  to  Smyrna  to  look 
after  mission  interests,  and  here  met  and 
soon  became  engaged  to  Miss  Mary  Rey- 
nolds of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  then  teach- 
ing a  mission-school.  They  were  married, 
Feb.  26,  1834,  by  Dr.  Goodell,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Commodore  Porter,  the  American 
ambassador.  In  a  little  repast  enjoyed  at 
their  own  room  the  evening  after  the  cere- 
mony,  roasted  potatoes  and  butter  formed 


64  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  rarest  viands,  never  havlnof  been  intro- 
duced  into  Constantinople  until  Mr.  Shauff- 
ler  had  them  sent  from  Odessa. 

The  early  part  of  the  Schaufflers'  married 
life  was  sorely  tried  by  living  in  a  plague- 
infested  city,  and  by  privations  and  sick- 
ness ;  but  Mr.  Schaufifler  in  the  midst  of 
all  labored  earnestly  in  his  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  into  Hebrew-Spanish,  and 
preached  on  Sundays  in  English  and  Ger- 
man to  local  residents.  In  April,  1836, 
he  took  his  family  to  Odessa,  and  here  a 
second  son  was  born  to  them,  and  here 
both  children  died ;  but  in  spite  of  this 
affliction  he  worked  on,  and  many  conver- 
sions took  place  during  his  sojourn. 

In  March,  1837,  ^^^  ^^^^  ^"^is  ^\i^  re- 
turned to  Constantinople;  and  while  living 
here  with  Missionary  Dwight's  family,  Mrs. 
Schauffler  was  exposed  to  the  plague  in 
carincr  for  Mrs.  Dwioht,  who  died  of  it.  In- 
deed,  exposure  to  this  terrible  disease  was 
an  every-day  occurrence  to  the  Schauff- 
lers ;  but  their  faithful  care  for  the  physical 
and  sjoiritual  needs  of  those   about    them 


WILLIAM  G.   SCHAUFFLF.K.  65 

can  be  appreciated  only  by  those  who  wit- 
nessed their  great  work. 

In  September,  1839,  the  Schaufflers,  with 
their  infant  son  Henry,  went  to  Vienna 
by  way  of  South  Russia,  where  crowds 
flocked  to  hear  the  preaching,  though  they 
had  to  walk  long  distances  after  their  day's 
work,  and  sleep  in  wagons,  stables,  and 
other  available  places.  In  Vienna  Mr. 
Schauffler  held  services  during  three  win- 
ters in  his  own  dwelling,  attended  by  many 
Catholics,  who  joyfully  received  the  news 
of  a  free  salvation.  The  love,  zeal,  and 
faithfulness  of  the  converts  were  most 
touching.  Such  were  the  people  that  pa- 
pal Austria  soon  after  put  under  the  har- 
row of  persecution.  A  fourth  son  was  born 
to  the  Schaufflers  in  September,  1839.  At 
this  time  Mr.  Clay  was  the  American  am- 
bassador ;  and  the  Schaufflers  made  many 
notable  acquaintances,  among  them  being 
the  Archduchess  Maria  Dorothea,  who 
became  their  friend. 

William  Schauffler  was  permitted,  in  a 
private    interview,   to   lay  before    the   em- 


66  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

peror  himself  his  printed  Bible,  upon 
which  he  had  lavished  the  great  work  of 
his  scholarship,  and  of  which  he  had  said, 
"  If  I  but  live  to  finish  this  work,  I  shall 
consider  my  missionary  life  a  success, 
secured  and  safe."  The  Bible  was  printed 
in  Vienna,  because  the  best  font  of  He- 
brew type  was  found  there.  The  verdict 
of  the  Jews  was  entirely  in  its  favor,  and 
the  book  went  forth  with  the  approval  of 
the  rabbis.  A  larger  edition  followed  a 
few  years  later. 

In  July,  1842,  the  Schaufflers  were  back 
at  their  station,  and  the  Goodells  enter- 
tained them  until  their  own  home  was 
ready  for  use.  The  Armenian  persecution 
was  going  on  ;  and  being  a  missionary  to 
the  Jews,  and  having  German  servants,  the 
Schaufifler  home  was  the  place  of  meeting 
of  the  persecuted  Armenian  "  Bible- read- 
ers," and  many  and  arduous  were  the  cares 
durincr  this  time.  Mr.  Schauffler  had  now 
numbered  ten  years  of  missionary  life,  and 
thus  far  he  was  sole  representative  of  the 
Jewish  Mission    from  the    United    States ; 


WILLIAM  G.   SCIIAUFFLER.  6/ 

and  his  chief  co-operation  seems  to  have 
come  from  the  EngHsh  and  Scotch,  also 
represented  in  the  field,  and  afterwards 
leading-  in  the  work,  for  the  reason  that 
missions  to  the  Jews  never  took  a  deep 
hold  upon   the  American   Board. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  station  in  1855, 
it  was  recommended  to  the  Board  that 
the  Jewish  Mission  be  relinquished  to  the 
Scotch  Free  Church.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  after  twenty-three  years  of  service, 
not  the  least  of  which  was  the  work  in 
Salonica,  Mr.  Schauffler  felt  aofSffieved  at 
this  summary  disposal  of  the  mission.  He 
might  have  called  for  a  reconsideration  ; 
but  he  did  not  care  to  do  so,  and  refused 
a  position  in  the  ranks  of  the  Scotch  breth- 
ren, and  also  declined  an  invitation  to 
enter  the  Armenian  field.  He  had  put 
through  the  press  a  Hebrew  grammar,  a 
Hebrew-Spanish  lexicon  of  the  Bible,  and 
a  third  popular  translation  of  the  psalms 
into  Spanish.  He  seemed  to  feel  that  his 
work  was  done. 

But  at  this  time  the  mission  appointed 


68  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Mr.  Schaiiffler  to  present  to  the  Evangelical 
Alliance,  then  meeting  at  Paris,  the  great 
question  of  religious  liberty  in  Turkey, 
includino-  the  Mohammedans.  The  chief 
object  was  to  induce  the  Alliance  to  plead 
with  the  sovereigns  of  Europe  to  use  their 
influence  with  the  Turkish  sultan  to  abolish 
the  death  penalty  among  the  Moslem  con- 
verts to  Christianity.  The  French  mem- 
bers especially  were  reluctant  to  lay  the 
case  before  Napoleon  III.  ;  but  by  declar- 
inof  that  the  little  band  of  missionaries  at 
Constantinople  would  fight  the  battle  at 
any  cost,  and  without  the  aid  of  their  breth- 
ren if  necessary,  Mr.  Schauffler  carried  the 
assembly.  He  had  lonor  before  won  the 
favor  of  the  Enorlish  ambassador.  Sir  Strat- 
ford  Canning.  The  news  of  Sevastopol's 
fall  was  posted  along  the  streets  the  very 
mornine  Mr.  Schauffler  left  Paris,  and  at 
Stuttgart  he  was  invited  to  speak  on  the 
Crimean  War. 

Having  returned  to  Constantinople  in 
February,  1856.  he  decided  to  enter  the 
Islam  field,  and  with  his  usual  energy  pro- 


WILLIAM  G.  SCHAUFFLER.  69 

ceeded  to  acquire  the  Turkish  tongue  ;  and 
through  his  activity  a  new  mission  was 
opened  for  the  Turks,  in  the  interest  of 
which  Mr.  SchaufHer  visited  this  country  a 
Httle  later  ;  and  after  an  absence  of  thirty- 
one  years  both  he  and  his  wife  found  a  cor- 
dial welcome.  To  institute  a  new  mission 
for  the  Turks  on  the  very  field  of  the  Arme- 
nian mission,  where  race  prejudices  were 
antagonistic,  and  might  call  for  separate 
buildings,  Mr.  Schaufifler  foresaw  would 
prove  too  costly  for  the  Board  ;  but  he  was 
encouraged  to  go  forward,  and,  with  some 
misQfivinofs,  after  a  time  he  resumed  his 
work.  The  arduous  task  of  translatinor 
the  Scriptures  into  Turkish  was  before  him. 
But  difficulties  soon  arose,  among  them 
the  entrance  of  the  Propagation  Society  of 
England,  and  the  determination  in  Boston 
not  to  institute  a  separate  Turkish  mission, 
but  to  have  the  Armenian  mission  cover 
the  field ;  and  serious  complications  oc- 
curred, which  resulted  in  Mr.  Schauffler's 
resignation  from  the  American  Board. 
Thus    summarily    closed    the    "  separate " 


70  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Turkish  mission,  as  had  the  Jewish  before 
it ;  but  through  all  these  trying  times  Mr. 
Schauffler's  faith  and  charity  prevailed,  and 
his  chief  concern  was  for  the  diffusion  of 
Christianity.  His  remaining  years  were 
given  to  his  great  work  of  Bible  trans- 
lation. 

In  1874  the  veteran  missionary  and  his 
faithful  helpmeet  left  Constantinople  ;  and 
many  a  tear  flowed,  and  many  a  benedic- 
tion followed,  from  the  home  that  had  been 
theirs  for  forty  years.  After  sojourning 
with  their  son  Henry,  a  missionary  of  the 
American  Board  in  Moravia,  they  came  to 
New  York  to  pass  the  rest  of  their  days 
with  their  two  younger  sons.  In  January, 
1883,  Mr.  Schauffler  died;  and  his  widow 
followed  him  in  January,    1895. 

His  was  a  character  singularly  unselfish 
and  pure.  His  rare  scholarship,  and  es- 
pecially his  translation  of  the  Bible  into 
Osmanli-Turkish,  procured  for  him  from 
the  University  of  Halle  and  Wittenberg 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and  from 
Princeton  Colleoe  the  decree  of  Doctor  of 


WILLIAM  G.   SCHAUFFLER.  J I 

Laws.  Nature  endowed  William  Schauff- 
ler  with  a  vigorous  body,  a  character  sim- 
ple, honest,  and  grand,  a  generous,  en- 
thusiastic heart,  and  a  symmetrical  and 
highly  gifted  mind,  while  grace  developed 
both  heart  and  mind ;  and  the  obscure 
young  mechanic  of  Odessa  became  the 
widely  known,  honored,  and  ardently  loved 
missionary,  whose  work  will  be  for  all 
time. 


VI. 

GRIFFITH  JOHN. 

Born  December  14,  1831. 


GRIFFITH  JOHN. 


VI. 

GRIFFITH  JOHN. 

For  many  years  the  church  of  Christ 
had  prayed  that  its  missionaries  might 
be  admitted  into  China,  and  when  the 
opportunity  arrived,  promptly  sent  forth 
its  messengers  of  salvation  into  the 
crowded  cities. 

Conspicuous  among  these  pioneers  was 
Griffith  John,  born  at  Swansea,  Wales, 
Dec.  14,  1 83 1.  His  parents  were  reli- 
gious and  comfortably  situated.  His 
mother  died  of  cholera  in  1832.  At 
eight  years  of  age  he  was  admitted  a 
member  of  the  church  at  Ebenezer, 
Swansea.  At  fourteen  Griffith  John  be- 
gan to  preach  the  gospel,  and  from  the 
first  gave  evidence  of  possessing  oratori- 
cal gifts  of  the  highest  order.  It  was 
determined  that  a  course  of  study  would 

75 


76  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

be  of  great  benefit  to  him  ;  and  his 
father  asked  the  Rev.  E.  Jacob,  the  pas- 
tor at  Swansea,  if  "  he  would  teach  John 
a  Httle."  The  kind-hearted  pastor  gra- 
tuitously taught  him ;  and  Mr.  John  re- 
sided with  him  from  Nov.  13,  1848, 
until  September,   1850. 

In  1849  his  father  died;  and  from  that 
time  Mr.  Jacob  became  a  father  to  him, 
and  was  most  assiduous  in  preparing  his 
young  charge  for  the  career  of  great  use- 
fulness which  he  felt  lay  before  him.  In 
answer  to  the  questions  of  the  college 
authorities  at  Brecon  w^hen  Mr.  John 
was  seeking  admission,  Mr.  Jacob  wrote  : 
"  Considering  his  age,  he  is  decidedly 
the  nearest  to  being  a  perfect  or  com- 
plete Christian  of  any  I  ever  knew ;  his 
voice  is  sweet,  his  delivery  easy,  his 
preaching  of  extraordinary  character." 
Mr.  John  entered  college  with  the  hope 
of  becoming  a  successful  and  popular 
minister,  but  soon  earthly  ambition  gave 
way  to  an  ardent  desire  for  missionary 
work  amonor  the  heathen. 


GRIFFITH  JOHN.  TJ 

He  was  offered  the  pastorate  of  one 
of  the  most  important  Congregational 
churches ;  but  he  refused  the  invitation, 
and  was  accepted  by  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society.  His  first  desire  was  to 
eo  to  Madao-ascar,  but  he  offered  no  ob- 
jection  when  asked  to  go  to  China.  Be- 
fore leaving  England,  Mr.  John  married 
Miss  Margaret  Jane  Griffiths,  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  David  Griffiths  of  Madagascar. 
A  more  happy  union  could  not  have  been 
made,  and  Mrs.  John  was  a  successful 
worker  amone  the  women  in  China.  On 
the  2 1  St  of  May,  1855,  the  Rev.  Griffith 
John  and  Mrs.  John  sailed  for  Shanghai, 
arriving  there  Sept.  24,  after  a  pleasant 
and  uneventful  voyage  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  days.  At  the  time  of  Mr. 
John's  arrival,  the  country  was  practically 
free  for  travellers  with  peaceful  objects 
in  view. 

Mr.  John  entered  upon  his  work  with 
characteristic  ardor.  He  studied  hard  dur- 
ing the  voyage,  and  now  applied  himself 
to  the  acquisition  of  the  language,  with  the 


y8  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

hope  that  in  six  months  he  mig-ht  be  able 
to  preach.  In  January,  1856,  Mr,  John 
writes  :  "  For  some  months  I  have  been 
in  the  habit  of  going-  into  the  temples,  the 
tea-gardens,  and  other  places,  to  distribute 
tracts  and  to  preach  as  I  could  ;  now  I  am 
able  to  speak  for  a  half-hour  at  a  time,  and 
to  my  great  satisfaction,  I  find  I  am  very 
well  understood.,"  In  speaking  the  Chi- 
nese language,  much  depends  on  the  tones 
and  mere  risine  and  fallincr  of  the  voice. 
This  makes  the  acquisition  of  the  spoken 
lanCTLiaofe  a  tedious  and  difficult  task. 
Still  more  perplexing  is   the  written    lan- 


o"uaore. 


At  first  Mr,  John  accompanied  other 
missionaries  in  various  preaching  jour- 
neys;  but  in  October,  1846,  he  started 
upon  an  expedition,  taking  only  Wong 
the  colporteur  as  assistant.  They  first 
visited  Swong  Kong ;  they  anchored  for 
the  night  four  miles  below  the  city,  and 
in  the  morning  entered  the  west  gate. 
It  was  the  time  for  the  annual  examina- 
tion ;  and  the  candidates  for  literary  honors 


GRIFFITH  JOIIiV.  79 

crowded  the  streets,  affording  intelligent 
audiences  wherever  the  missionary  and  his 
helper  chose  to  work.  They  had  a  good 
supply  of  books,  which  were  eagerly  sought 
after.  The  next  day  was  the  Lord's  Day, 
but  there  is  no  Sabbath  in  China.  All  is 
noise,  bustle,  tumult,  and  impiety;  but  Mr. 
John  returned  to  the  boat,  gathered  the 
boatmen  around  him,  and  read  prayers. 

In  October,  1857,  Mr.  John  and  the  Rev. 
J.  Edkins  visited  Soochow,  which  is  re- 
garded by  the  Chinese  as  one  of  their  richest 
and  most  beautiful  cities.  They  say  to  be 
happy  on  earth  one  must  be  born  at  Soo- 
chow, live  in  Canton,  and  die  in  Soochow; 
for  in  the  first  are  the  handsomest  people, 
in  the  second  the  richest  luxuries,  and  in 
the  third  the  best  coffins.  Mr.  John  now 
devoted  himself  almost  exclusively  to  itin- 
eratine,  and  visited  a  larcre  number  of 
towns  and  cities.  In  October,  1858,  Mr. 
John  and  three  of  his  brother  missionaries 
resolved  to  make  an  extended  tour,  preach- 
ing and  distributino-  books  in  all  the  cit- 
ies    along  the  Grand    Canal   as  far  as   its 


80  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

entrance  into  the  Yellow  River,  They  also 
were  anxious  to  ascertain  Avhat  influence 
the  treaty  of  Tientsin  between  China  and 
England  had  had  upon  the  people,  and 
how  far  mission-work  could  be  carried  on. 
The  Grand  Canal  is  six  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  in  length,  and  is  divided  into  three 
parts,  which  were  made  under  three  dif- 
ferent dynasties.  By  it  and  the  rivers  it 
connects,  there  is  an  almost  uninterrupted 
water-way  from  the  north  to  the  south  of 
the  empire. 

Mr.  John  proceeded  as  far  as  he  had 
passports,  and  preached  the  gospel  under 
trials  of  all  kinds  in  all  towns  that  he  was 
able  to  enter.  Revolution  is  the  only 
means  the  Chinaman  has  of  getting  rid  of 
bad  QTOvernments;  and  it  is  associated  in  his 
mind  with  patriotic  deeds  of  heroism,  and 
with  some  of  the  brightest  periods  of  his 
national  history.  Between  the  years  1830 
and  1840,  an  unusual  number  of  rebellions, 
inundations,  and  famines  had  caused  great 
discontent  among  the  people.  Thus  the 
country  was  very   unsettled   when    Hung- 


GRIFFITH  JOIL  V.  8 1 

sewtsuen,  the  Taiping  chief,  arose.  He 
was  a  poor  lad,  but  possessed  an  able  mind, 
and  was  essentially  Chinese  in  his  way  of 
thinking- ;  desiring  notoriety,  he  resorted  to 
unofficial  ways,  and  in  1837  he  had  trances, 
and  proclaimed  himself  a  heavenly  prince. 
In  1843  ^"^6  began  to  study  Christian  tracts, 
and  in  1847  P'-^t  himself  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  Mr.  J.  Roberts,  an  American  mis- 
sionary in  Canton.  His  writings  do  not 
show  that  he  appreciated  the  real  spirit  of 
Christianity,  but  the  skill  with  which  he 
turned  some  of  its  doctrines  to  his  own 
use  was  really  wonderful. 

In  185 1  Hungsewtsuen  commenced  his 
march  through  China,  establishing  himself, 
in  1853,  in  Nanking,  which  city  he  held 
until  1864.  The  missionaries  resident  in 
Shanghai  were  desirous  of  ascertaining  the 
exact  state  of  affairs  among  the  Taipings, 
and  Mr.  John  with  five  others  visited  Soo- 
chowand  passed  through  novel  experiences ; 
all  of  them  were  in  danger  of  being  killed 
in  an  affray  between  the  villagers  and  the 
insurgents.     The  leaders  of  the  rebels  were 


82  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

acquainted  with  many  Christian  truths,  and 
always  addressed  the  missionaries  as  "  our 
foreign  brothers." 

In  i860  Mr.  John  resolved  to  go  boldly 
to  Nanking,  the  seat  of  the  Taiping  govern- 
ment, and  endeavor  to  obtain  from  Kan 
Wanor  an  edict  of  relieious  toleration.  The 
distance  to  Nankinor  was  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  and  the  missionaries  were 
treated  with  marked  respect  in  all  the  towns 
through  which  they  passed.  The  journey 
was  a  complete  success ;  and  the  edict  ob- 
tained gave  permission  to  all  missionaries, 
whether  Protestant  or  Catholic,  to  live  in  the 
insurgents'  territory  and  carry  on  mission- 
work.  Although  the  Taipings  fell  into 
many  grievous  errors,  the  seeds  of  Chris- 
tianity were  doubtless  in  the  hearts  of  the 
leaders.  They  did  one  good  thing  by  cre- 
ating a  vacuum,  not  only  in  the  temples, 
destroying  the  idols,  but  also  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people.  It  was  the  work  of  the 
missionary  to  fill  this  void. 

The  new  treaty  between  England  and 
China   opened  the    northern   provinces   to 


GRIFFITH  JOHN.  83 

direct  mission -work,  and  the  great  network 
of  rivers  and  canals  made  many  parts  of 
the  vast  empire  easy  of  access.  Hankow, 
situated  on  the  Yang-tsi,  is  accessible  to 
ocean  steamers  at  all  times  of  the  year. 
Mr.  John  had  heard  of,  read  about,  and 
many  times  longed  to  visit,  this  great  em- 
porium of  China,  and  with  Mr.  Wilson 
finally  arrived  there  on  the  21st  of  June, 
1861.  It  was  a  most  flourishing  mart, 
people  from  eighteen  provinces  meeting 
there  to  exchange  the  varied  products  of 
the  great  empire.  Mr.  John,  with  his  char- 
acteristic promptitude,  commenced  preach- 
ing on  the  first  day ;  and  from  that  time 
to  the  present,  Hankow  has  had  the  gos- 
pel daily  proclaimed  by  an  ever-increasing 
number  of  missionaries. 

On  the  1 2th  of  September  Mr.  John  re- 
moved his  wife  and  children  to  Hankow, 
and  worked  with  great  energy,  being  aided 
by  two  native  assistants.  His  audiences 
were  very  large.  In  August,  1861,  Hien- 
fung,  the  Emperor  of  China,  died  ;  and  the 
change  in  the  government  was  speedily  felt 


84  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

all  over  the  empire.  The  people  were  more 
docile  and  susceptible  to  influences  from 
without.  The  magistrates  of  Hankow  were 
very  friendly  towards  Mr.  John,  and  he 
spoke  on  Christianity  in  the  highest  circles 
of  society.  Early  in  the  year  1862  Mr. 
John  reported  steady  progress.  At  the  close 
of  twelve  months'  labor  the  infant  church 
at  Hankow  numbered  twelve  members. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Hankow,  Mr. 
John  determined  that  Wuchang,  being  the 
provincial  capital  of  Hupeh,  would  be  a 
most  desirable  place  for  mission-work,  and 
for  four  months  labored  steadfastly  to  ob- 
tain a  foothold  there.  At  the  end  of  that 
time,  and  after  a  severe  conflict  with  the 
authorities,  literati,  and  gentry,  he  erected, 
upon  purchased  land,  buildings  costing 
^500,  and  consisting  of  a  chapel-house, 
two  schoolrooms,  and  hospital.  And  so 
with  great  judgment  and  foresight,  Mr. 
John  founded  the  Hankow  Mission. 

In  1864  Mrs.  John,  with  her  entire 
family  of  four  children,  was  obliged  to 
visit    Encrland    for    several    months    for   a 


GRIFFITH  JOHN.  ^    85 

climatic   change.     Mrs.   John   returned   to 
Hankow  with  her  youngest  child  in  1865. 
In    1867    Mr.   John   reported    an    increase 
of  fifty-one  members  to  the  church.     The 
great  event  of  the  year  1868  was  the  mis- 
sionary journey  of  Mr.  John  and  the  late 
Mr.  Wylie  of  the  British  and  Foreign  So- 
ciety to  Chung-tu,  the  capital  of  Si-chuen, 
and  their  return  through  the  province  of 
Shen-si,     a    distance    of    three    thousand 
miles.     Never  before  had  the  gospel  been 
so  widely  published  in  China  by  the  voice 
of  a    missionary.      After    his    return   Mr. 
John    writes,    "  I    feel,    in    a   way    I    have 
never  felt  before,  that  the   valley  of    the 
Yanor-tsi    and   the    Hau   have  been   taken 
possession  of  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
that   it   is  for   me  to  live  and  die  for  the 
millions  of  precious  souls  that  line  these 
two  magnificent  streams."      In  1869  Han- 
kow and  Wuchang  were  visited  by  a  flood 
which  caused    over    a    hundred    thousand 
people  to  flee  to  the  hills  near  Hankow. 
At  this  time  Mr.  John's  family  suffered 
much  from  the  cold,  and  their  discomfort 


86  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

was  Increased  by  small-pox  among  his 
children.  In  spite  of  all  he  worked  vigor- 
ously, often  preaching  four  times  a  day 
and  walkinor  lonof  distances.  He  was  at 
this  time  rewarded  in  part,  by  having 
five  converts  coming  forward  and  offer- 
ing their  services  gratuitously  as  evangel- 
ists—  a  thincr  he  had  lonof  desired. 

Mr.  John  had  for  some  time  thought 
of  visiting  his  native  land,  and  in  Septem- 
ber, 1870,  arrived  with  his  family  safely 
in  London.  During  the  next  three  years 
he  preached  in  England,  and  his  eloquent 
appeals  in  behalf  of  China  were  most  stim- 
ulating. In  1872,  at  the  directors'  invita- 
tion, he  preached  the  annual  sermon  at 
the  anniversary  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  which  was  afterwards  published 
under  the  title  of  "  Hope  for  China." 

In  1873  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  were 
anxious  to  return  to  China ;  they  sailed 
from  Liverpool  Feb.  8.  It  was  a  cold 
day,  and  Mrs.  John  never  rallied  from  the 
effects  of  her  exposure  to  the  weather.  The 
heat  of  the  Red  Sea  was  most  trying,  and 


GRIFFITir  JOHN.  8/ 

her  suffering"  increased,  and  her  gentle 
spirit  fled  just  as  the  rising  of  the  glori- 
ous Eastern  sun  lighted  the  vessel's  way 
into  the  harbor  of  Singapore. 

Mr.  John  arrived  at  Hankow  in  a  very 
distressed  condition,  but  plunged  into  his 
work  again,  although  his  feelings  of  loneli- 
ness and  sorrow  were  intense.  The  church 
now  numbered  over  two  hundred  mem- 
bers, and  monthly  additions  were  made. 
As  Hankow  is  purely  a  business  mart, 
very  many  who  were  converted  and  bap- 
tized returned  home,  often  to  distant  prov- 
inces. Thus  from  the  centre  of  the  empire 
ran  light  and  life  to  every  province. 

During  the  winter  of  1873-74,  a  new 
and  commodious  hospital  was  erected  at 
Hankow,  at  a  cost  of  ^1,350,  subscribed  by 
foreigners  and  natives.  In  1859  Mr.  John 
wrote  a  valuable  paper  on  "The  Ethics  of 
the  Chinese,  with  Special  Reference  to  the 
Doctrines  of  Human  Nature  and  Sin."  In 
1882  he  wrote  "A  Plea  for  China,"  also 
"  China,  her  Claims  and  Call,"  and  a  valu- 
able booklet  entitled,  "  Spiritual  Power  for 


88  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Missionary  Work."  It  is  chiefly  through 
his  Hterary  efforts  that  Mr.  John's  name  has 
become  so  well  known  in  the  Celestial  Em- 
pire. In  no  country  in  the  world  are  there 
so  great  inducements  to  the  missionary  to 
use  the  press  as  a  means  of  making  known 
the  truth  as  in  China.  The  number  of 
readers  among  the  people  is  very  large. 
Every  hamlet  and  village  has  its  school. 
Everywhere  education  is  held  in  highest 
esteem.  The  catalogue  of  the  Central 
China  Tract  Society  contains  upwards  of 
thirty  books  and  tracts  from  Mr.  John's 
pen,  and  every  year  over  half  a  million 
of  his  publications  are  circulated  through- 
out China. 

In  October,  1874,  Mr.  John  married  the 
widow  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jenkins  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  America ; 
by  her  spiritual  power  and  earnest  work 
she  was  a  great  aid  to  her  husband,  and 
through  her  many  converts  were  made 
among  the  Chinese  women.  Mrs.  John 
was  greatly  interested  in  the  sailors  ;  and 
during  the  tea  season  of    1875,  Mr.  and 


GRIFFITH  JOIIiY.  89 

Mrs.  John  opened  their  house  nightly 
to  them,  and  ten  conversions  took  place. 

Early  in  May,  1878,  Mr.  John  rendered 
great  assistance  to  a  mission  sent  out  by 
the  Established  Church  of  Scotland,  to 
be  located  at  I-Chan,  a  city  nearly  four 
hundred  miles  up  the  river.  In  1879  he 
was  greatly  cheered  by  the  opening  of 
a  purely  Chinese  hospital  in  Hankow  by 
one  of  the  converts,  Wang  Kien-tang, 
who  had  been  trained  by  Dr,   Reid. 

In  1880  Mrs.  John  on  account  of  ill- 
health  left  Hankow  for  England,  but  was 
finally  compelled  to  visit  America.  Here 
other  symptoms  developed,  and  Mr.  John 
was  summoned  by  cablegram  to  New 
York.  He  arrived  there  in  March,  188 1, 
and  was  received  very  kindly  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Bevan.  Mrs.  John  sustained  a  success- 
ful surgical  operation,  and  in  July,  1881, 
returned  with  her  husband  to  England, 
where  they  spent  the  winter  with  their 
friends.  They,  however,  longed  for  their 
loved  toil,  and  sailed  for  Hankow  in 
February,  1882. 


90  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

In  1883  Mr.  John  saw  with  pleasure 
the  completion  of  a  building  called  The 
Sailors'  Rest.  Ever-wideninor  success  at- 
tended  the  mission  of  Hankow ;  but  in 
the  midst  of  it  he  experienced  a  sad  loss 
in  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  died  on 
Christmas,  1885.  Although  Mr.  John's 
life  was  clouded  by  sorrow  and  loneli- 
ness he  worked  on,  and  in  1886  saw  the 
erection  of  a  beautiful  new  chapel  with 
large  vestry,  native  pastor's  house,  girls' 
school  and  teachers'  rooms.  Like  the 
Sailors'  Rest,  they  were  the  outcome  of 
that  pilgrimage  of  pain  made  by  Mrs. 
John  to  New  York  and  England.  On 
the  morning  of  Sunday,  June  27,  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Christians  attended  service 
in  the  new  chapel  ;  and  the  Rev.  David 
Hill,  Chairman  of  the  Wesleyan  Hankow 
Mission,  preached  from  Gen.  xxviii.  17, 
"  This  is  none  other  but  the  house  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven." 

This  year,  1887,  is  memorable  for  the 
remarkable  proclamation  from  the  Tsung- 
li  Yamen    (government    office}    at   Pekin, 


GRIFFITH  JOHN.  9 1 

bidding  the  people  in  general  live  on 
terms  of  friendship  and  good-will  with 
their  Christian  neighbors,  and  exhorting 
all  local  magistrates  to  treat  Christian 
applicants  for  justice  with  perfect  impar- 
tiality 

The  year  1888  found  the  Hankow  Mis- 
sion receiving  monthly  accessions  in  very 
encouraging  numbers,  and  Mr.  John 
worked  steadily  at  his  great  task  (now 
completed)  of  translating  the  Old  Testa- 
ment into  "  easy  Wen-li." 

In  Mr.  John,  China  has  been  favored 
with  a  highly  efficient  and  indefatigable 
worker ;  and  the  earnest  prayer  of  all 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  great  work 
he  has  done,  is  that  he  may  long  be 
spared  to  further  advance  the  cause  of 
Christ  among  the  "black-haired  race  "  by 
tongue  and  pen,  and  that  through  his  ex- 
ample many  may  be  influenced  to  follow 
in  his  footsteps,  and  devote  their  lives  to 
this  most  noble  enterprise. 


VII. 

ELIJAH  COLEMAN  BR  IDG  MAN. 

Born,  April  22,  1801 ;  Died,  November  2,  1861.    • 


ELIJAH   COLEMAN    BRIDGEMAN. 


VII. 

ELIJAH  COLEMAN  BR  IDG  MAN. 
"  The  Puritan  recognized  God  in  his  soul,  and  acted." 

Elijah  Coleman  Bridgman,  imbued 
with  the  characteristics  of  his  forefathers, 
was  not  a  man  of  speculation,  of  creative 
abihty,  or  of  starthng  originaHty ;  but  he 
was  one  who  united  within  himself  the 
chief  elements  of  Puritanism,  —  faith  and 
action.  "  He  believed  God  ;  yes,  actually 
believed  him,  and  scattered  broadcast  the 
seeds  of  his  belief."  He  was  born  at 
Belchertown,  Mass.,  April  22,  1801  ;  and 
the  subtile  moral  atmosphere  which  then 
pervaded  New  England  homes  became 
a  part  of  him. 

His  school-life  began  in  his  native  town, 
was  continued  at  Amherst,  and  completed 
at  the  Andover  Theological  school.  As 
a  boy,   Mr.    Bridgman   was   obedient  and 

95 


g6  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

affectionate  ;  to  his  mother's  influence  he 
owed  his  early  conversion.  While  still 
in  college  he  conceived  a  desire  to  be- 
come a  missionary;  and  his  wish  being 
in  full  accord  with  his  family,  he  readily 
accepted,  on  his  Class  Day,  an  invitation 
offered  by  the  American  Board  (aided  by 
the  liberality  of  Mr.  R.  M.  Olyphant  of 
New  York)   to  go  to  China. 

Mr.  Olyphant  made  a  contract  with 
the  Board  to  furnish  passage  and  Mr. 
Bridgman's  living  expenses  in  China  for 
a  year. 

Mr.  Bridofman  sailed  from  New  York 
Oct.  14,  1829,  and  arrived  at  Macao, 
China,  Jan.  22,  1830.  He  was  warmly 
welcomed  by  Dr.   and   Mrs.   Morrison. 

Dr.  Morrison  went  to  China  in  1807, 
under  appointment  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  established  the  first 
Protestant  Mission   in  that  land. 

Feb.  25  Mr.  Bridgman  arrived  in  Can- 
ton, and  immediately  established  his  resi- 
dence in  the  American  factories. 

The  foreio^n  factories  at  this  time  were 


ELIJAH  COLEMAN  BRIDGMAN.  97 

thirteen  in  number,  and  built  of  brick  or 
granite,  and  Hoating  flags  of  different  na- 
tions, presented  to  a  stranger  a  pictur- 
esque and  striking  contrast  with  the  native 
architecture  of  the  "  Celestial  Empire." 

Dr.  Morrison  held  Sunday  services  in 
the  American  factory;  and  in  his  journal 
of  March  i,  1830,  Mr.  Bridgman  records 
the  presence  of  twenty  English-speaking 
residents. 

Havinof  received  books  and  all  neces- 
sary  help  from  Dr.  Morrison,  Mr.  Bridg- 
man immediately  began  the  study  of  the 
Chinese  lanofnaee,  of  which  in  later  life 
he  wrote,  "  There  is  no  lanoruaQ^e  so  dif- 
ferent  from  all  others  as  the  Chinese,  and 
no  other  is  acquired  with  so  much  diffi- 
culty by  foreigners.  In  this  point  of 
view  it  has  doubtless  done  infinitely  more 
than  '  the  great  wall '  to  preserve  the 
Chinese  in  their  exclusiveness,  hostile  to 
international  intercourse,  and  for  many 
centuries  almost  hermetically  sealed  from 
the  influences  of  Christianity." 

Mr.   Bridgman's  first  year  in  China  was 


98  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

given  to  study,  to  the  teaching  of  Eng- 
hsh  to  several  Chinese  lads,  and,  in  spite 
of  the  authorities'  edict,  to  preaching  the 
gospel  whenever  chance  permitted.  In 
May,  1832,  at  the  suggestion  of  Dr. 
Morrison,  he  edited  the  Chinese  Reposi- 
tory, a  monthly  magazine  intended  to 
arouse  in  the  Christian  world  an  interest 
in  the  spiritual  awakening  of  China.  This 
magazine  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Bridg- 
man  until  1851  (after  which  time  Dr. 
Williams  became  editor),  and  is  now  valu- 
able as  a  reference-book. 

In  1834,  Aug.  I,  Dr.  Morrison,  the 
veteran  missionary,  died.  Of  him  Dr. 
Bridorman  wrote,  "  In  making-  known  our 
holy  religion  to  the  Chinese,  no  one  has 
done  more."  In  October,  1834,  Mr. 
Bridgman  was  called  upon  to  preach  the 
funeral  sermon  of  Lord  Napier,  who  had 
been  sent  out  by  the  British  government 
to  protect  the  interests  of  English  com- 
merce at  the  port  of  Canton.  After  her 
return  to  England,  Lady  Napier  wrote 
to    Mr.    Bridgman,    "  I    have    sent    copies 


ELIJAH  COLEMAN  BRIDGMAN.  99 

of  your  sermon  to  all  our  own  people; 
and  many  a  one  amongst  the  lonely 
valleys  of  Ettrick  will  bless  your  name 
for  the  kindness  you  showed  at  all  times 
to  our  beloved  dead." 

In  1836  Mr.  Bridg-man  began  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible ;  but  later  the  print- 
ing of  the  same  was  interrupted  by  the 
"opium  war."  In  March,  1839,  trade 
was  suspended  ;  the  Chinese  government 
detained  foreio^ners  in  Canton,  and  tumul- 
tuous  mobs  were  the  order  of  the  day. 
In  the  midst  of  all,  Mr.  Bridgman  was 
not  an  idle  spectator.  In  August,  1840, 
he  wrote  :  "  The  gauntlet  has  been  thrown 
down.  After  a  friendly  intercourse  of 
two  hundred  years.  Great  Britain  finds 
herself  at  war  with  the   Chinese." 

The  w^ar  terminated  in  favor  of  the  Eng- 
lish, 1842  ;  indemnity  was  granted,  several 
ports  opened,  and  to  the  British  govern- 
ment was  ceded  the.  city  of  Hong-Kong. 
To  this  place  Mr.  Bridgman  moved  July  i, 
1842  ;  and  here  he  prepared  the  "  Chinese 
Chrestomathy,"  a  volume  of  seven  hundred 


lOO  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  thirty  pages.  During  this  year  the 
University  of  New  York  conferred  upon 
Mr.   Bridgman  the  degree  of  D.D. 

In  1844  the  United  States  of  Ameiica 
sent  the  Hon.  Caleb  Cushinor  to  the 
Chinese  court ;  and  July  3  a  treaty  of 
peace,  amity,  and  commerce  was  con- 
cluded between  the  two  nations,  and  for- 
eieners  were  allowed  residence  at  Canton, 
Amoy,  Fuchau-fu,  Ningpo,  and  Shanghai. 
By  consent  of  the  American  Board,  Dr. 
Brideman  and  Dr.  Peter  Parker  became 
secretaries  to  the  legation  ;  and  of  their 
services  Mr.  Cushing  said  officially  and 
privately,  "  Their  intimate  knowledge  of 
China  and  the  Chinese  made  them  in- 
valuable as  advisers,  and  their  high  char- 
acter contributed  to  give  weight  and  moral 
strength  to  the  mission." 

The  year  1845  "^^^  made  memorable  in 
the  history  of  missionary  work  by  an  edict 
from  the  Chinese  emperor  for  the  toleration 
of  Christianity  throughout  the  Empire. 

The  Chinese  Repository  of  June,  1845, 
records    the    marriaofe   of   the  Rev   E.   C. 


ELTJAFf  COLEMAN  BRIDGMAN.  lOI 

Bridgman,  D.D.,  with  Miss  Eliza  Jane  Gil- 
lett  of  New  York. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bridgman  established  a 
residence  in  Canton,  where  their  work 
was  supplemented  and  cheered  by  the  co- 
operation of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Parker. 

The  home  of  the  Bridofmans  was  rented 
from  a  salt  merchant,  and  partly  built  in 
foreign  style.  The  first  story  was  occupied 
by  the  coolies  (servants),  the  second  was 
the  printing  establishment,  and  the  third 
afforded  apartments  for  the  family.  And 
here  in  a  small  study-room  sat  Dr.  Bridg- 
man day  after  day,  busy  in  his  great  work 
of  translation,  or  patiently  talking  with  the 
natives  (from  the  Buddhist  priest  to  the 
Chinese  soldier)  of  the  life  of  the  Great 
Teacher.  In  the  autumn  of  1845  Mrs. 
Brideman  beean  the  education  of  two 
Chinese  girls  ;  and  these  children  formed 
the  nucleus  to  a  female  school  subsequently 
established  under  her  care.  Believing  his 
first  duty  was  to  make  known  the  truth, 
"  to  preach  the  gospel,"  Dr.  Bridgman 
held  daily  services  in  Dr.  Parker's  ophthal- 


I02  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

mic  hospital,  and  also  preached  to  the  mul- 
titude in  the  streets,  holding  always  to  the 
desire  for  conversions  first,  and  later  for 
baptism  and  churches.  In  their  attempts 
to  teach  in  neighboring  vicinities,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Bridgman  often  exposed  them- 
selves to  danger,  and  on  one  occasion 
nearly  sacrificed  their  lives  to  the  infuri- 
ated mobs. 

Dr.  Bridgman,  being  appointed  by  his 
missionary  brethren  as  delegate  to  the 
committee  assembled  in  Shanghai  for  the 
revising  of  the  Scriptures,  established  a 
residence  in  that  city,  June  23,  1847;  ^.nd 
then,  in  addition  to  his  labor  of  translation, 
Dr.  Bridcfman  assumed  and  carried  on  the 
work  of  a  clergyman,  and  gathered  about 
him  a  native  church.  In  1850  he  wrote 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  American  Board  : 
"  More  than  twenty  years  have  now  passed 
since  the  first  messengers  from  the  churches 
in  America  reached  the  land  of  Sinim.  In 
these  twenty  years  what  changes  have  we 
seen  !  and  now  nearly  a  hundred  laborers, 
men  and  women,  \v2csfit  free  access  to  mil- 


EL/JAir  COLEMAN  BRIDGMAN:  IO3 

lions  of  people.     The  first  fruits  of  a  great 
and  glorious  harvest  begin  to  appear," 

In  1852  Dr.  Bridgman's  health  failed, 
and  with  Mrs.  Bridg-man  and  a  Chinese 
pupil  he  returned  to  America  for  change 
and  a  short  visit.  He  arrived  in  New 
York  June  i6  ;  and  then  "railways,  the 
electric  telegraph,  and  all  the  develop- 
ments that  two  and  twenty  years  had 
produced,  burst  upon  him  with  so  much 
interest,  that  it  gave  vigor  to  his  frame, 
and  rejuvenated  his  whole  being."  The 
four  months  of  his  visit  were  passed  with 
friends  in  the  dear  native  State,  and  then 
in  journeying  from  place  to  place,  to  ad- 
dress assemblies  in  behalf  of  China.  Re- 
turning, Dr.  Bridgman  and  party  visited 
San  Francisco,  February,  1853,  where  Dr. 
Bridgman  took  part  in  the  dedicatory  ex- 
ercises of  a  church  built  for  the  Chinese. 
A  passage  of  thirty-eight  days  brought 
the  party  safely  to  China.  They  arrived 
at  Shanghai,  May  3;  and  on  the  19th 
Dr.  Bridofman  resumed  his  work  of  trans- 
lation. 


I04  GREAT  MISSIOXARIES. 

In  September,  1854,  Dr.  Bridgman  cor- 
dially welcomed  Mr.  Aitchison,  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Blodget,  who  came  to  China 
under  the  appointment  of  the  American 
Board.  A  mission  was  beo-un  at  Shano-- 
hai,  a  church  formed,  of  which  Dr.  Brido-- 
man  was  pastor  until  the  time  of  his  death. 
Dr.  Bridgman  was  social  in  his  instincts, 
ardent  in  friendships,  and,  interested  in 
whatever  could  in  any  way  conduce  to  the 
welfare  of  China,  he  was  always  ready  to 
perform  his  part  in  every  enterprise  that 
aimed  at  that  object.  He  was  President 
of  the  Shanghai  Literary  and  Scientific 
Society,  and  of  the  Morrison  Educational 
Society ;  he  was  also  officer  and  working- 
member  of  the  North  China  branch  of  the 
Asiatic  Society.  He  often  entertained  the 
plenipotentiaries  of  the  four  great  treaty 
powers,  —  England,  Erance,  Russia,  and 
the  United  States. 

In  the  midst  of  active  and  unfinished 
labors,  with  his  armor  still  about  him,  Dr. 
Bridgman  died,  Nov.  2,  1861.  Thirty- two 
years  of  his  life  he  gave  to  China,  found- 


ELIJAH  COLEMAN  BRIDGMAN.  I05 

ino-  in  that  land  the  first  American  mis- 
sion,  and  leaving  an  impress  upon  his  great 
work  which  shall  be  forever  indelible. 

After  her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Bridg- 
man  returned  to  America ;  but  her  heart 
was  in  China,  and,  although  delicate  in 
health,  "  she  went  forth  alone  at  fifty-nine 
years  of  age  to  take  up  her  work  again. 
To  the  mission  at  Peking  she  gave  $12,500, 
and  established  at  that  place  a  boarding- 
school  for  girls.  Four  years  later  (1867) 
she  gave  money  and  labor  to  founding  a 
girls'  school  in  Shanghai ;  but  her  zeal 
was  here  beyond  her  strength,  and  Nov. 
10,  187 1,  she  followed  her  husband  to  rest 
in  the  city  where  most  of  their  years  to- 
gether had  been  spent." 


VIII. 
BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS   THOBURN. 

Born,  March  7,  1836. 


JAMES   M.  THOBURNE 


VIII. 

B/SHOP  JAMES  MILLS   TLIOBURN. 

Among  the  many  valuable  crifts  made  by 
the  Scotch-Irish  stock  to  humanity  in  gen- 
eral, and  Methodism  in  particular,  Bishop 
Thoburn  is  not  the  least.  His  parents 
came  to  Ohio  from  the  north  of  Ireland  in 
1825.  He  was  born  near  St.  Clairsville, 
Ohio,  March  7,  1836.  One  incident  of  his 
childhood  deserves  record,  as  serving"  to 
show  the  nature  of  the  influences  thrown 
around  him  in  his  childhood.  It  is  related 
by  his  sister,  Miss  Isabella  Thoburn,  who 
for  the  last  twenty- five  years  has  been  at 
the  head  of  a  most  useful  orirls'  school  in 
Lucknow,  and  was,  indeed,  the  first  mis- 
sionary sent  out  by  the  Woman's  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 
Writing  of  her  father  and  mother,  she  says, 
"They  bought  a  farm   in   Ohio,  for  which 

109 


I  I O  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

they  could  not  make  full  payment,  and  were 
obliged  to  give  a  mortgage.  It  was  when 
the  harvest  had  been  sold,  and  when  the 
final  payment  was  made,  my  father  came 
home  with  two  gold  eagles  above  the 
amount  of  the  debt.  The  announcement 
was  made  to  the  family  ;  for  every  child 
had  been  made  to  feel  that  he  shared  the 
responsibility,  and  so  was  allowed  to  share 
the  pleasure.  Then  father  took  out  the 
two  pieces  of  money,  and  said,  '  We  will 
give  ten  dollars  to  the  Missionary  Society 
for  a  thank-offering ;  and  this,'  he  added, 
giving  mother  the  other  ten,  '  is  for  your 
new  cloak.'  She  held  it  thoughtfully  a 
moment,  and  then,  giving  it  back,  said, 
'  Put  this  with  the  other  piece  for  the 
thank-offering,  and  I  will  turn  my  old 
cloak.'  "  With  such  training  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  both  brother  and  sister  so 
promptly  placed  themselves  on  the  mis- 
sionary altar. 

The  father  died  in  1850  ;  and  James  soon 
after  left  home,  and  practically  began  life 
for  himself.     Aided  somewhat  by  his  mother 


BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS    TIIOBURN.         I  I  I 

at  the  outset,  he  entered  Allegheny  Col- 
lege ;  but  most  of  the  funds  for  his  college 
course  he  secured  himself  through  teaching 
and  other  means.  He  graduated  June 
24,  1857.  Two  weeks  later  he  began  to 
preach  in  Stark  County,  Ohio.  In  March, 
1858,  he  was  admitted  into  the  Pittsburg 
Conference,  and  sent  as  junior  preacher 
to  the   Marlborouorh   Circuit. 

When  he  was  only  seventeen,  he  read 
one  day  a  sermon  of  Dr.  Olin's,  in  a  little 
book  called  "  Early  Piety."  As  he  perused 
a  passage  which  called  attention  to  the  fact 
that  it  must  be  young  men  who  should  go 
forth  as  missionaries,  "  there  flashed  upon 
my  mind  and  heart."  he  says,  "  a  clear 
impression  that  my  life-work  would  be  in 
the  missionary  field."  He  was  converted 
about  eighteen  months  later,  soon  after  he 
was  nineteen  ;  and  the  conviction  that  God 
meant  him  to  gfo  abroad  became  still  more 
deeply  rooted.  But  he  took  up  the  work 
at  home  until  the  more  definite  call  should 
come.  It  came  in  the  latter  part  of  1858. 
The  mission  to  India  had  been  founded  by 


I  1 2  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

Dr.  Wm,  Butler  the  year  before,  and  now 
search  was  being  made  for  six  young  men 
to  go  to  his  help.  When  young  Thoburn 
read  the  strong  appeal  to  this  end  in  the 
Christian  Advocate,  he  was  powerfully 
moved.  God  also  manifested  his  approval, 
the  widowed  mother  put  no  hindrance  in 
the  way,  and  the  missionary  authorities 
were  glad  to  make  the  appointment.  The 
final  determination  was  reached  by  Jan.  i, 
1859;  and  subsequent  events  have  made 
it  abundantly  clear  that  no  mistake  was 
made. 

He  sailed  from  Salem,  Mass.,  April  12, 
in  a  small  ice-ship  bound  for  Calcutta. 
The  missionary  party  consisted  of  nine, — 
four  men  and  their  wives,  besides  Thoburn, 
who  was  the  youngest  of  the  company. 
Five  of  the  nine  have  for  many  years  been 
in  the  heavenly  land  ;  the  other  four,  — 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Parker,  and  Dr.  Waugh,  with 
the  Bishop,  —  are  still  at  work  in  India. 
They  landed  at  Calcutta,  Aug.  21,  1859. 
and  were  warmly  welcomed  by  Dr.  Butler. 
Proceeding  as  speedily  as  possible  to  Luck- 


BISHOP  JAMES   iM/LLS    TIIOIWRN.         II3 

now,  the  forces  were  carefully  distributed. 
Mr.  Thoburn  found  himself  assiofned  to 
Nynee  Tal,  in  the  mountain  province  of 
Kumaon. 

He  was  now  fairly  launched  on  that  life 
to  which  his  thouohts  had  for  so  lone  a 
time  been  tending,  and  in  which  he  was 
destined  to  make  so  notable  a  record.  If 
he  had  the  inexperience  of  youth,  being 
only  twenty-three,  he  had  also  its  vigor 
and  hopefulness,  being,  moreover,  by  na- 
ture of  an  especially  buoyant  and  sanguine 
temperament.  For  four  )'ears  Nynee  Tal, 
beautiful  for  situation,  was  his  home,  if 
home  a  bachelor  missionary  can  be  said  to 
have  at  all.  Increasingly  conscious  of  this 
great  lack,  he  took  to  himself  a  wife,  Dec. 
16,  1 86 1,  marrying  Mrs.  Minerva  R.  Don- 
ney,  whose  husband,  one  of  the  party  of 
nine,  had  died  within  a  few  weeks  after 
reaching  the  country.  He  applied  himself 
so  diligently  to  the  study  of  the  language, 
that  just  a  year  after  leaving  St.  Clairsville, 
and  only  about  six  months  after  reaching 
his  station,  he  was  able  to  preach  with  con- 


I  1 4  GREA  T  MISS  ION  A  RFES. 

siclerable  freedom  in  the  bazaar,  and  in  a 
few  months  more  he  could  conduct  an  en- 
tire service  in  the  chapel  ;  which  is  very- 
unusual  proficiency.  In  preaching,  school- 
teaching,  building,  and  holding  services  in 
English  for  the  soldiers  and  other  Euro- 
pean residents  of  the  station,  the  time 
passed  quickly  away.  But,  with  the  igno- 
rance and  enthusiasm  of  youth,  too  much 
was  attempted,  and  a  break-down  in  health 
was  the  result.  A  far  heavier  blow  than 
this  before  long  descended.  In  November, 
1862,  the  gifted,  devoted  wife,  on  whose 
living  so  much  seemed  to  depend,  was 
translated,  while  the  glow  of  the  upper 
temple  filled  the  lowly  dwelling,  "I  am 
glad,"  she  said,  "  that  life  has  been  given 
me,  that  I  might  have  the  privilege  of  dy- 
ing." The  baby  boy  thus  sadly  bereft  was 
only  four  weeks  old.  In  the  following 
autumn  the  father,  with  his  tender  charo-e, 
got  away  for  a  greatly  needed  furlough, 
and  reached  his  American  home  asain 
during  Christmas  week  of  1863. 

While  in  America,  tempting  offers  were 


BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS    THOBURN.         I  I  5 

made  him  of  employment  at  home;  and 
this,  in  conjunction  with  his  weak  state 
of  health  and  some  other  considerations, 
came  perilously  near  to  wrecking  his  mis- 
sionary career.  He  had  actually  concluded 
to  give  up  India  ;  but  on  announcing  his 
determination  to  his  sister  Isabella,  she  re- 
minded him  of  his  call  from  God  to  the 
work  in  India,  and  then   said, — 

•'  My  advice  is  this :  Whenever  God 
gives  you  an  equally  clear  call  to  leave 
India,  you  may  safely  give  it  up.  Have 
you  any  such  call  now  ?  " 

This  pointed  question  extinguished  the 
false  liehts  which  had  come  so  near  to 
leading  him  from  the  foreign  field,  and 
all  thoughts  of  abandoning  India  speedily 
vanished. 

He  reached  the  seat  of  the  India  Con- 
ference at  Moradabad,  Feb.  i,  1866,  and 
was  appointed  to  Paorl,  some  five  days' 
journey  west  of  Nynee  Tal.  Here  he 
labored  two  years,  becoming  much  inter- 
ested in  the  pilgrims  who  thronged  the 
mountain   roads   on   their  way   to   the    fa- 


Il6  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

mous  Hindu  shrines  of  Kedarnath  and 
Badrinath,  but  not  finding  them  favorable 
for  missionary  work.  During  the  whole 
of  the  first  year  there  was  but  one  bap- 
tism. By  the  close  of  the  second  year 
the  little  church  had  six  members  and 
seven  probationers.  For  the  next  two 
years,  1868  and  1869,  Moradabad  was  his 
station  ;  and  in  1870,  his  sister  having  just 
arrived  to  begin  the  girls'  school  in  Luck- 
now,  he  removed  to  that  famous  old  capi- 
tal. He  was  now  presiding  elder  of  the 
district,  as  well  as  charged  with  a  variety 
of  other  functions ;  but  his  health  was  well 
established,  and  he  greatly  enjoyed  the 
work. 

Among  the  enterprises  which  here  em- 
anated from  his  fertile  brain  worthy  of 
mention,  is  the  Lucknoiu  Witness,  estab- 
lished April,  187 1,  and  still  flourishing 
at  Calcutta,  under  the  name  of  T/ic  In- 
dian Witness.  It  had,  almost  from  the 
first,  a  larger  circulation  than  any  other 
Christian  religious  paper  in  the  Empire, 
and  still  maintains  itself  easily  in  the  lead. 


BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS    TIIOBURN.         W] 

He  soon  developed  also  quite  an  exten- 
sive work  among  the  English-speaking 
people  of  the  city,  who  had  been  hitherto 
greatly  neglected.  And  this  received  a 
great  impetus  by  the  coming  of  William 
Taylor,  —  now  Bishop  Taylor, — whose  ad- 
vent in  Lucknow,  Nov.  25,  1870,  marked 
an  important  epoch.  Revivals  followed 
his  preaching,  not  only  there,  but  in  all 
the  chief  cities  of  India  ;  and  the  founda- 
tions of  three  new  conferences  were  laid. 
It  was  mainly  in  connection  with  the  work 
thus  inaugurated  that  Dr.  Thoburn's  orreat 
success  was  to  be  achieved  and  his  chief 
distinction  reached. 

In  January,  1874,  he  was  transferred  by 
Bishop  Harris  to  Calcutta,  to  follow  up  the 
work  begun  by  William  Taylor ;  and  from 
this  time  he  became  the  virtual  head  of 
the  "Bombay  and  Bengal  Mission,"  organ- 
ized in  1876  as  the  South  India  Confer- 
ence. A  great  church,  costing  eighty 
thousand  rupees,  and  seating  some  sixteen 
hundred  people,  was  soon  built  to  accom- 
modate   the  crowds  that  throno^ed  to  his 


I  I  8  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

preaching",  and  a  continuous  revival  ex- 
tended through  every  month  of  the  year. 
Work  was  vigorously  prosecuted  among 
the  sailors  and  amonor  the  Beno-alis,  and 
be^innino-s  were  made  of  what  subse- 
quently  became  two  flourishing  boarding- 
schools. 

In  June,  1879,  in  response  to  invitations 
to  visit  Rangoon,  the  capital  of  Burma,  he 
went  across  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and  in  two 
weeks'  evangelistic  services  a  Methodist 
church  was  initiated  there  which  has  since 
developed  into  a  prosperous  mission,  with 
a  multiplicity  of  successful  departments. 
The  same  thino-  was  done  at  the  beofin- 
ning  of  1885  for  Singapore.  Dr.  Thoburn 
went  there  with  Mrs.  Thoburn  (he  had 
married  Nov.  11,  1880,  Miss  Anna  Jones, 
M.D.,  of  Kingston,  Ohio)  and  Mr.  Old- 
ham. In  a  brief  but  most  vigorous  cam- 
paign of  three  weeks,  a  little  church  of 
seventeen  members  was  organized,  and 
matters  put  in  such  shape  that  the  Malay- 
sian Mission  speedily  got  upon  its  feet. 
When    it    is    remembered  that  in  both  of 


BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS    TIIOBURN.         I  19 

these  cases  the  missionary  went  forth  with 
no  resources  behind  him,  and  no  assurance 
of  help  before  him,  except  in  the  ever-sure 
promises  of  God,  it  will  be  seen  that  an 
achievement  of  no  small  moment  was  in- 
volved. Dr.  Thoburn  has  never  hesitated, 
with  a  hopefulness,  courage,  and  faith  wor- 
thy of  all  admiration  and  imitation,  with 
a  trust  in  God,  in  himself,  and  in  the 
people  rarely  equalled,  and  with  such  a 
measure  of  the  divine  indorsement  in  the 
results  reached  as  has  silenced  objections 
or  criticisms,  to  throw  himself  into  the 
breach  whenever  the  cause  of  God  seemed 
to  demand  a  forward  movement.  He  has 
developed,  as  the  years  have  rolled  on, 
qualities  of  leadership  of  the  most  marked 
character. 

When  the  General  Conference  of  1888 
arrived.  Dr.  Thoburn  was  unanimously 
chosen  by  his  brethren  of  Bengal  to  repre- 
sent them,  it  being  the  strong  expectation, 
as  well  as  desire,  that  he  would  be  elected 
to  the  new  bishopric  in  India.  This  ex- 
pectation was  promptly  and  cordially  grat- 


I20  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

ified.  And  Bishop  Thoburn,  as  he  has 
travelled  throughout  the  Indian  Empire 
during  the  past  seven  years,  holding  con- 
ferences, and  directing  the  labors  of  his 
rapidly  growing  hosts,  besides  making  fre- 
quent visits  to  America  in  the  interests  of 
his  vast  diocese,  has  abundantly  justified 
the  wisdom  of  the  step  taken  at  that  time. 
In  his  report  to  the  General  Conference  of 
1892,  the  bishop  was  able  to  tell  of  four 
years'  steady  growth,  during  which  the  old 
North  India  Conference  had  more  than 
quadrupled  the  large  membership  with 
which  she  entered  upon  the  quadrennium, 
and  the  smaller  conferences  had  doubled. 
He  told  of  a  membership  of  30,000,  a 
Christian  community  of  50,000  souls,  and 
no  less  than  55,243  in  the  Sunday-schools. 
These  larofe  fieures  have  all  been  marvel- 
lously  increased  since  then,  the  membership 
having  been  more  than  doubled  again, 
with  other  growth  in  proportion.  Indeed, 
a  work  has  broken  out  in  the  Methodist 
Mission  of  North  India  in  the  past  six 
years,  the  like  of  which  has  probably  never 


BISHOP  JAMES  MILLS    TIIOBURN.         121 

before  been  anywhere  seen.  Some  fifteen 
or  sixteen  thousand  Hindus  have  yearly 
been  baptized ;  and  as  many  more  are  con- 
tinually in  waiting,  whom  the  preachers 
have  to  hold  back,  not  being  at  all  able 
with  any  staff  that  can  be  employed  to 
overtake  the  task  of  properly  instructing 
this  immense  multitude.  It  is  the  harvest 
from  over  thirty  years  of  wisely  planned 
and  energetically  executed  sowing.  It  is 
mostly  among  the  low  castes  ;  although  all 
classes,  even  the  highest,  are  affected. 
There  seems  at  present  no  indication  that 
the  work  will  stop,  and  no  limit  to  it  except 
the  ability  of  the  toilers. 

That  the  excellent  generalship  of  the 
bishop,  his  good  judgment,  noble  exam- 
ple, and  Christlike  spirit,  have  been  the 
main  factors  in  the  success  of  the  work,  all 
clearly  see  and  willingly  admit.  He  has 
been  a  ceaseless  inspiration  and  an  unfail- 
ing resource  to  the  laborers.  With  an  eye 
on  the  entire  field  which  he  frequently 
traverses,  he  strengthens  each  weak  point 
by  prompt  transfers  of  help,  and  dissemi- 


122  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

nates  the  knowledge  of  the  most  approved 
methods.  He  has  also  raised  by  his  per- 
sonal exertions  large  sums  of  money,  with- 
out which,  time  and  again,  the  work  must 
have  been  seriously  crippled.  Not  yet 
threescore,  although  more  than  thirty-five 
years  a  missionary,  it  would  seem  that,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  he  might  be  able  for 
many  years  to  come  to  lead  on  the  conquer- 
ing army  of  Christ  in  India  to  yet  grander 
victories.  He  says  that  he  hopes  to  live  to 
lead  an  assault  upon  the  gates  of  hell  with 
a  million  Indian  Christians  at  his  back.  It 
is  surely  not  beyond  the  possibilities  of 
Divine  grace  and  power.  May  it  become 
a  livinQT  fact ! 


IX. 

BISHOP  SAMUEL   ADJAI  CROWTHER. 

Missionary  to  Africa. 
Born  i8o?.     Died  Dfc.  31,  1S91. 


SAMUEL  CROWTHER. 


IX. 


BISHOP  SAMUEL  ADJAI  CROWTHER. 

Bishop  Crowther's  youth  was  passed  in 
the  shadows  of  Darkest  Africa,  and  under 
the  spell  of  peculiar  and  depressing  super- 
stitions ;  in  the  midst  of  wars,  cruelty,  and 
bitter  oppression.  His  home  was  in  the 
Yoruba  country,  one  of  the  many  states  or 
kingdoms  into  which  Western  Africa  is  di- 
vided. It  lies  to  the  west  of  the  Nio-er 
River,  and  forms  a  part  of  the  slave  coast 
on  the  Gulf  of  Guinea,  the  country  that 
for  so  many  years  furnished  the  slaves 
which  supplied   the  markets  of  the  world. 

To  supply  this  growing  demand  for 
slaves,  the  country  was  kept  in  a  continu- 
ous state  of  warfare,  the  chiefs  contract- 
ing to  furnish  the  slaves,  making  raids 
upon  the  neighboring  tribes,  and,  it  is 
said,  not  infrequently  swooping  down  upon 
their  own  villages. 

125 


126  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

The  usual  plan  was  to  make  the  attack 
in  the  night-time,  set  fire  to  the  humble 
homes,  and  while  the  inhabitants  were  try- 
ing to  escape,  seize  and  bind  them  with 
heavy  chains,  fastened  about  the  neck  and 
wrists,  killing  all  who  offered  resistance. 
The  prisoners  were  then  joined  together, 
forming  a  long  line,  and  driven  with  great 
cruelty  from  the  smoking  ruins  of  their 
homes.  Thus  in  one  ni^ht  a  laro-e  villao-e 
would  be  completely  destroyed.  If  any  on 
the  long  march,  under  the  load  of  galling 
chains,  became  unable  to  proceed,  or  an 
infant  became  troublesome,  they  were  left 
to  perish  in  the  forest,  or  were  killed  on 
the  spot. 

Such  were  the  experiences  that  came 
into  the  childhood  of  Bishop  Crowther. 

At  the  age  of  eleven  years,  in  the  year 
182  I,  he  was  living  with  his  father,  mother, 
and  three  other  children,  in  the  flourishing 
village  of  Oshogun,  containing  over  six 
thousand  inhabitants,  situated  in  Yoruba. 

One  morning  very  early,  without  the 
least   warning,    they   were    suddenly    sur- 


BISHOP  SAMUEL   ADJAF  CROIVTHER.     12/ 

rounded  by  an  army  of  men- stealers, 
headed  by  Mohammedan  Foulah.  Men 
who  attempted  to  resist  were  stricken 
down  at  their  doors.  Amonrr  these  was 
the  father  of  Httle  Adjai,  as  he  was  then 
called.  The  mother  with  her  children 
tried  to  escape  into  the  bush ;  but  they 
were  pursued,  lassoed,  and  brought  back, 
chained,  linked  to  others,  and  marched 
away. 

In  their  long  journey  they  passed  other 
towns,  where  they  saw  some  of  their  rela- 
tives who  had  met  a  like  fate.  After  two 
days  of  tramping,  goaded  by  the  lash  of 
the  cruel  slave-driver,  they  reached  the 
place  of  the  chief,  where  they  were  allotted 
to  their  future  owners;  Adjai  and  one  of 
his  sisters  falling  to  the  chief,  while  the 
mother  and  remaining  children  went  to 
other  persons. 

Adjai  was,  however,  soon  sold  from  his 
sister,  and,  after  passing  through  several 
hands,  was  finally  landed  on  the  coast, 
and  put  into  the  crowded  slave-pen,  or 
barracoon,  where  he  was  kept  four  months, 


128  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

to  await  the  collection  of  a  sufficient  num- 
ber to  make  up  the  ship's  load.  When 
this  had  been  done,  they  were  stowed 
away  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel,  —  a  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  miserable  creatures,  — 
there  to  endure  still  greater  sufferings 
than  any  that  had  yet  fallen  to  them. 

But  suddenly  there  comes  a  change ! 
A  British  man-of-war,  sent  out  for  this 
purpose,  overtakes  and  captures  the  slave- 
ship,  and  liberates  the  slaves,  who  in  their 
misery  and  despair  cannot  at  once  realize 
what  has  happened,  and  that  they  are 
now  among  friends.  They  mistook  a  pig 
hanging  up,  partly  dressed,  to  be  one  of 
their  number  who  had  been  slain  ;  and 
the  cannon-balls  strewn  around  the  deck 
they  thought  were  negro  heads. 

They  were  taken  to  Liberia,  and  given 
to  the  care  of  the  mission  at  Free  Town. 
The  boy  Adjai  was  put  into  the  mission- 
school,  and  was  from  the  first  a  very  apt 
scholar.  After  four  years  of  instruction 
under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Weeks,   he  became  a   Christian,   and  was 


BISHOP  SAMUEL   AD/A  I  CROWTHER.      1 29 

baptized  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  taking  the 
name  of  Samuel  Acljai  Crowther.  He  was 
trained  in  manual  labor,  and  became  quite 
proficient  in  the  use  of  tools.  In  1826  he 
was  taken  to  England  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davey  on  a  visit,  spending  part  of  the 
time  in  a  school  at  Islington,  returning  at 
the  end  of  a  year  to  Sierra  Leone.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  half-dozen  natives  who 
entered  the  Yourah  Bay  College.  A  few 
years  later  he  became  an  assistant  teacher 
in  the  colleee.  With  this  mark  of  confi- 
dence  shown  by  his  friends,  there  came  to 
him  the  inspiration  to  devote  his  life  and 
all  of  his  power  to  the  uplifting  of  his  own 
people. 

In  a  letter  to  a  friend  he  writes  :  — 
"  From  this  period  I  must  mark  the  un- 
happy but  blessed  day,  which  I  shall  never 
forget  in  my  life  ;  unhappy  because  it  was 
the  day  on  which  I  was  violently  turned 
out  of  my  father's  house  and  separated 
from  my  relatives,  and  made  to  experi- 
ence what  it  is  to  be  in  slavery  ;  blessed 
because  it  was  the  day  which  Providence 


I30  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

had  marked  out  for  me  to  set  out  on  my 
journey  from  the  land  of  heathenism,  su- 
perstition, and  vice,  to  a  place  where  the 
gospel  is  preached." 

While  here  he  was  married  to  one  whose 
early  experience  had  been  somewhat  simi- 
lar to  his  own.  His  wife,  when  a  little  girl, 
had  been  rescued  from  a  slave-ship,  and 
taken  to  Sierra  Leone,  to  the  same  kind 
friends  who  trained  him  ;  and  they  were 
brought  up  together.  When  baptized,  her 
name  Asano  was  changed  into  Susanna. 
In  the  school  at  Regent's  Town  to  which 
he  had  been  appointed,  she  was  associate 
teacher,  here  and  elsewhere  filling  well 
her  place  in  the  important  and  elevated 
position  to  which  they  had   arisen. 

Their  family  of  six  children,  well  trained 
for  usefulness,  three  of  them  actively  en- 
eaeed  in  mission-work,  and  the  others 
living  godly  lives,  attest  her  ability  and 
faithfulness  in  the  home. 

Returning  after  two  years  to  the  Yourah 
Bay  College,  he  taught  for  several  years, 
doing  much  good  by  his  influence  over  the 


BISHOP  SAMUEL   ADJAI  GROWTH ER.      131 

natives  who  were  being  trained  there,  many 
of  whom  were  afterward  ordained,  and  ap- 
pointed to  important  stations. 

In  1 84 1  he  made  his  first  trip  up  the 
Niger  with  a  party  on  an  exploring  expe- 
dition planned  by  the  British  government 
in  the  interest  of  commerce  in  native  prod- 
ucts, which  it  was  hoped  would  indirectly 
check  the  trade  in  slaves. 

Mr.  Crowther  was  sent  with  this  expedi- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  opening  the  way  for 
the  establishing  of  missions  in  that  region  ; 
but  on  account  of  a  deadly  fever  which 
attacked  most  of  the  part)\  they  were 
obliged  to  return  before  their  mission  had 
been  completed.  But  it  was  not  an  entire 
failure.  Friendly  relations  had  been  es- 
tablished with  the  chiefs  of  various  tribes 
by-  Mr.  Crowther,  whose  tact  and  wisdom 
in  dealing  with  the  natives  proved  that  he 
was  the  one  to  push  forward  the  work  in 
the  future.  During  the  voyage  he  pre- 
pared a  grammar  and  vocabulary  of  the 
Yoruba  language,  which  afterwards  was  of 
great  value.     Upon  their  return,  by  request 


132  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

of  the  mission  at  Sierra  Leone,  he  was  sent 
to  London  for  a  year  of  study,  to  prepare 
him  for  the  ministry ;  at  the  close  of  which 
he  was  ordained,  and  returned  to  Africa. 
The  next  year  he  was  sent  to  his  own 
country,  Yoruba,  to  estabHsh  a  mission  at 
Abbeokuta.  This  was  a  lar^e  fortified  town 
where  the  Yorubans,  after  suffering"  untold 
persecutions  from  the  Foulah  tribe,  had 
gathered  to  the  number  of  a  hundred  thou- 
sand, making  a  city  four  miles  in  diameter. 
The  people  welcomed  him  with  great  re- 
joicing, especially  the  few  Christians  among 
thern  who  had  come  hither  from  Sierra 
Leone.  Mr.  Crowther  had  been  here  about 
three  weeks  when,  to  his  great  surprise,  he 
met  his  mother  and  brother,  who  were 
living  in  a  little  town  near  by.  A  descrip- 
tion of  this  pathetic  scene  is  given  in  his 
own  words,  taken  from  his  journal  :  "  We 
grasped  one  another,  looking  at  each  other 
in  great  astonishment,  big  tears  rolling 
down  her  emaciated  cheeks  ;  she  trembled 
as  she  held  me  by  the  hand,  and  called  me 
by  the  familiar  names  with  which  I  well  re- 


BISHOP  SAMUEL    AD/A/   CROIVTHER.      1 33 

meinbered  I  used  to  be  called  by  my  grand- 
mother, who  has  since  died  in  slavery.  We 
could  not  say  much,  but  sat  still,  and  cast 
now  and  then  an  affectionate  look  at  each 
other,  —  a  look  which  violence  and  oppres- 
sion had  long  checked  ;  an  affection  which 
had  nearly  been  extinguished  by  the  long 
space  of  twenty-five  years.  My  two  sisters 
who  were  captured  with  us  are  both  with 
my  mother.  Thus  unsought  for,  after  all 
search  for  me  had  failed,  God  has  brought 
us  together  again,  and  turned  our  sorrow 
into  joy." 

Two  years  later  she,  with  three  others,  be- 
came Christians,  and  were  baptized,  being 
the  first  fruits  of  the  mission.  When  bap- 
tized, the  mother  of  Samuel  took  the  name 
of  Hannah.  She  died  in  the  Christian  faith 
at  the  age  of  ninety-seven.  The  mission 
was  blesseld  with  great  success,  in  spite 
of  terrible  persecution  by  the  Juju  priests, 
and  in  spite  of  the  continuous  wars  waged 
by  the  king  of  Dahomey  and  his  chiefs.  Mr. 
Crowther  wrote  at  the  close  of  three  years  : 
"  What  has  God  wrought  during  the  short 


134  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

interval  of  conflict  between  light  and  dark- 
ness !  We  have  five  hundred  constant 
attendants  on  the  means  of  grace,  about 
eighty  communicants,  and  nearly  two  hun- 
dred candidates  for  baptism  ;  a  great  num- 
ber of  heathen  have  ceased  worshipping 
their  country's  gods,  others  have  cast  theirs 
away  altogether,  and  are  not  far  from  en- 
listine  under  the  banner  of  Christ." 

The  missionaries  were  untiring  in  their 
efforts  to  help  these  people,  and  taught 
them  to  cultivate  the  soil,  and  many  other 
useful  employments. 

The  increased  persecutions  of  the  blood- 
thirsty king  of  Dahomey  made  it  necessary 
for  Mr.  Crowther  agfain  to  visit  Enorland,  in 
order  to  enlist  the  interest  of  the  English 
people  in  this  benighted  land,  and  to  ask 
their  aid  in  forming  an  alliance  with  some 
of  the  surrounding  tribes  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave-trade,  and  for  protection 
from  these  outrages  upon  the  Christians. 

While  there  he  completed  his  dictionary 
of  the  Yoruba  lancruaoe,  and  his  translation 
of  the   Bible   into   Yoruba.     The  unusual 


BISHOP   SAMUEL    ADJAI   CROIVTHER.      1 35 

ability  which  he  possessed  in  mastering  lan- 
o-Liao-es  was  of  the  orreatest  advantao^e  to 
him  in  his  deahnofs  with  the  various  chiefs. 

Having  completed  his  mission  in  Eng- 
land, he  returned  to  Africa,  and  continued 
to  extend  the  work  to  other  localities. 

His  first  mission  at  Abbeokuta  had  grown 
to  be  a  strong  centre,  with  a  large  and 
well-built  church,  in  which  a  congregation 
of  about  three  hundred  natives  met  for 
weekly  worship.  A  flourishing  school  had 
also  been  established.  Here  in  conference 
with  the  workers  from  Ibadan  and  Ijaye,  — 
the  oudying  stations,  —  the  plans  were 
laid  for  extending  the  work  in  the  Yoruba 
country. 

The  next  three  years  he  spent  at  Lagos, 
on  the  coast,  supervising  tlie  work  there  ; 
and  during  this  time  he  prepared  a  primer 
and  vocabulary,  and  translated  several 
books  from  the  Bible  into  the  Ibo  lan- 
guage, thus  making  preparations  for  the 
ofreater   work   still  before  him. 

His  next  expedition  up  the  Niger  was 
planned  and  sent  by  the  Church  Mission- 


I  36  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

ary  Society.  The  party  consisted  of  Mr. 
Crowther,  with  two  other  native  ministers, 
and  two  young  men  who  had  been  hving- 
with  one  of  the  missionaries  at  Sierra 
Leone.  He  had  hoped  to  start  six  dif- 
ferent stations  on  this  trip  ;  but  the  native 
preachers  intended  to  carry  on  this  work 
could  not  be  spared  on  account  of  the 
death  of  three  missionaries  on  the  coast, 
so  he  proceeded  with  this  Httle  band  on 
the  Dayspring ;  and  they  had  the  honor 
of  planting  at  Onitsha  the  first  mission  on 
the  great  river,  which  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  J.  C.  Taylor,  one  of  the  native 
ministers,  grew  to  be  a  strong  centre. 

Mr.  Crowther  now  continued  his  jour- 
neyings  up  and  down  the  river  by  canoe 
or  passing  boat  for  five  or  six  years,  and 
labored  with  untiring  zeal  to  evangelize 
the  regions  round  about.  Three  other 
missions  were  started  as  the  result  of 
these  labors. 

In  1864  he  went  to  England  to  attend 
the  annual  meetino-  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary  Society,  and    to  report  the  wonderful 


BISHOP  SAMUEL   AD/ A I  CROIVTIIER.     I  3/ 

progress  already  made,  and  the  possibili- 
ties for  further  work,  on  the  Niger.  On 
this  visit  occurred  the  most  important 
event  in  his  personal  history,  when  in 
Canterbury  Cathedral,  before  an  immense 
audience,  among  whom  was  the  widow  of 
Bishop  Weeks,  the  missionary  who  had 
given  him  his  first  lessons,  he  was  conse- 
crated first  bishop  of  the  Niger. 

On  his  return  to  Africa  his  work  was 
resumed  with  characteristic  zeal,  his  next 
field  being  the  Delta  of  the  Niger.  With 
his  eldest  son,  archdeacon  Dandeson  Crow- 
ther,  as  assistant,  he  established  the  mis- 
sion at  Bonny,  in  a  region  of  great  deg- 
radation, the  people  being  mostly  slaves 
and  fetish  worshippers,  under  the  power  of 
priests.  Many  were  the  victims  sacrificed 
on  every  possible  occasion,  and  their  bones 
were  used  to  decorate  and  pave  the  heathen 
temples ;  but  under  the  influence  of  the 
gospel,  the  ghasdy  temples  were  deserted, 
and  in  the  words  of  the  native  school- 
master, wicked  Bonny  became  a  bethel. 
The  influence  soon  spread  to  Brasse,  far- 


I  3  8  GREA  T  MISS  ION  A  RIES. 

ther  up  the  river,  and  another  mission  was 
the  resuk  ;  not,  however,  without  the  usual 
opposition  which  always  and  everywhere 
has  followed  the  introduction  of  Christi- 
anity, but  which  seemed  to  be  unusually 
bitter  in  the  Delta  regions. 

One  of  the  kings  who  had  accepted 
Christianity  was  imprisoned  by  his  chiefs, 
and  many  people  were  driven  to  the  forests 
for  safety,  who,  when  they  were  released, 
looked  more  like  skeletons  than  men  ;  but 
with  remarkable  fidelity  the  Christians 
adhered  to  their  faith,  showing  the  true 
martyr  spirit.  One,  when  bribes  were  of- 
fered, said :  "As  for  turning  back  to  hea- 
then worship,  that  is  out  of  my  power ;  I 
have  made  up  my  mind  to  be  in  chains,  if 
it  so  please  the  Lord,  till  the  judgment 
day."  Said  another,  "Jesus  has  taken 
charge  of  my  heart,  and  padlocked  it,  and 
the  key  is  with  him." 

Bishop  Crowther  and  his  son  appealed 
to  Christians  everywhere  to  pray  for  them, 
so  terrible  were  their  sufferings  ;  and  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  letters  of  sympathy 
reached  them. 


BISHOP  SAMUEL   ADJAI  CROWTHER.      1 39 

But  in  spite  of  persecution,  Christianity 
spread  until  its  influence  was  felt  through- 
out all  the  country,  and  there  came  in  time 
a  complete  transformation.  Bishop  Crow- 
ther  continued  his  work  on  the  Niger  and 
throughout  the  Yoruba  country  with  un- 
abated energy  and  signal  success  for  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  establishing 
churches  and  schools,  encouraging  com- 
merce and  agriculture,  carrying  out  most 
completely  the  avowed  purpose  of  his  youth 
to  spend  his  life  for  his  people  ;  and  in  so 
doing,  few  have  been  able  to  accomplish 
more  than  he.  Perhaps  no  part  of  his 
work  was  more  important  than  his  many 
translations  of  the  Bible  and  other  helpful 
works. 

In  his  several  visits  to  England,  he 
made  a  multitude  of  warm  friends,  who 
will  never  forget  his  kindly,  intellectual 
face,  his  modest  and  winning  manners. 
At  the  World's  Missionary  Convention 
heUl  in  London  in  1888,  of  the  fifteen 
hundred  delegates  present  from  all  parts 
of   the   world,  probably   no    one    received 


I40  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

such  marked  attention  as  the  Black  Bishop 
of  the  Niger. 

On  the  31st  clay  of  December,  1891,  in 
London,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  death 
removed  from  earth  Bishop  Samuel  Crow- 
ther.  His  fame,  for  he  was  known  through- 
out the  world,  was  not  due  alone  to  his 
singular  history,  but  also  to  his  character 
and  intellectual  ability. 

Arthur  T.  Pierson,  D.D.,  in  speaking 
of  Bishop  Crowther,  says  :  "  Wherever  he 
went  he  brouorht  and  left  a  blessinof,  and 
no  man  perhaps  did  more  than  he  for  the 
elevation  and  salvation  of  his  degfraded 
fellow^-countrymen.  .  .  .  With  what  joy 
Mr.  Weeks  will  present  to  the  Lord,  Sam- 
uel Adjai  Crowther,  as  one  of  the  fruits 
of  his  ministry  in  Africa !  And  then  for 
the  first  time  will  he  realize  what  ultimate 
blessing  hung  on  the  leading  to  Christ  of 
an  humble  slave-boy  of  Yoruba-land." 


X. 

JOHN  KENNETH  MACKENZIE. 

Medical  Missionary  to  Cliina. 
Born,  Aug.  25,  1850;   Died,  April  i,  i888. 


1^1(1  by  cMuitoy  i.tilir  Fleming  H.  K.\tll  C'.i 
JOHN    KENNETH    MACKENZIE. 


X. 

JOHN  KENNETH  MACKENZIE. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, an  urgent  plea  was  made  by  an 
officer  of  the  association  to  send  more 
medical  missionaries  into  foreign  lands. 

The  plea  was  well  founded.  That  a  sci- 
entific knowledge  of  medicine  may  greatly 
extend  the  scope  of  a  missionary's  work, 
was  clearly  shown  in  the  life  of  John  Ken- 
neth Mackenzie. 

It  is  true,  medical  missions  were  not  new 
in  China  when  Dr.  Mackenzie  began  his 
labors  in  that  land  ;  but  it  is  equally  true 
that  the  attention  lately  given  to  Western 
medicine  and  surgery  by  the  potentates  of 
the  Empire  had  its  origin  in  the  Viceroy's 
confidence  in  Dr.  Mackenzie's  medical  skill. 

Dr.   Mackenzie  was  born  in  Yarmouth, 

143 


144  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

England,  Aug.  25,  1850.  His  earliest  life 
was  surrounded  by  the  happy  influences  of 
a  Christian  home.  He  was  educated  for 
a  time  at  a  private  school  in  Bristol,  and 
although  a  quiet,  thoughtful  boy,  had  little 
real  fondness  for  study,  and  left  school  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  and  became  a  clerk  in  a 
merchant's  office. 

While  thus  employed,  young  Mackenzie 
was  a  regular  attendant  at  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  and  in  May, 
1867,  was  much  impressed  by  an  address 
given  by  Mr.  D.  L.  Moody,  then  on  his 
first  visit  to  England.  A  year  later  Mac- 
kenzie became  a  member  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian church  in  Bristol,  of  which  his  father 
was  an  elder. 

He  soon  conceived  a  strong  desire  to 
devote  his  life  to  missionary  work  in  China  ; 
and  having  read  "  The  Double  Cure  ;  or, 
What  is  a  Medical  Mission  ?  "  by  Mrs.  Gor- 
don, believed  a  medical  course  would  re-en- 
force him  for  labor,  and  obtained  through 
the  influence  of  friends  his  parents'  con- 
sent to  begin  the  study  of  medicine  with  a 


JOnX  KENNETH  MACKENZIE.  1 45 

view  to  oroinor  to  China  as  a  medical  mis- 
sionary.  In  October,  1870,  he  entered  the 
Medical  School  at  Bristol,  and  at  the  end 
of  four  years  received  his  diplomas  of 
M.R.C.S.,  London,  and  L.R.C.P.,  Edin- 
burgh. 

He  further  prepared  for  his  future  labor 
by  attendance  at  the  Royal  Ophthalmic 
Hospital  in  London. 

In  December,  1874,  ^'"-  Mackenzie  wrote 
to  the  London  Missionary  Society,  and  on 
the  fifteenth  of  that  month  received  their 
acceptance  of  his  offers  of  service  for 
Hankow,  and  after  finishlnof  his  studies 
sailed  for  that  place  April  10,  1875,  In 
SS.   Glenlyon. 

During  the  voyage  Dr.  Mackenzie,  with 
the  captain's  permission,  conducted  reli- 
gious services,  and  entered  heartily  into 
whatever  made  for  the  benefit  and  spirit- 
ual good  of  his  fellow  passengers. 

The  Glenlyon  reached  Shanghai  June  3, 
and  on  the  fourth  the  young  doctor  em- 
barked upon  the  Tchang  for  a  trip  of  six 
hundred    miles    up    the    great    Yang-tse- 


146  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

kianor.  The  Tchanor  arrived  at  Hankow 
June  8  ;  and  Dr.  Mackenzie  was  warmly 
welcomed  by  his  future  colleagues,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Griffith  John  and  Mr.  Foster. 

Hankow,  situated  at  the  union  of  the 
Yanor-tse  and  Han  rivers,  is  the  orgeat  com- 
mercial  city  of  Central  China  ;  and  the  ex- 
port tea-trade  reaches  the  figures  of  three 
million  pounds  sterling  a  year.  Mission 
work  was  established  in  1861,  when  Han- 
kow was  opened  for  foreign  trade.  In 
1866  a  hospital  and  dispensary  were  added 
to  the  mission  ;  and  later  Dr.  Reed  pur- 
chased   and    ofave    to  the  mission  a  more 

<z> 

healthful  site  for  a  new  building,  which 
was  erected  by  native  and  foreign  mer- 
chants. This  was  the  field  of  action  to 
which  Dr.  Mackenzie  came,  and  in  which 
he  began  his  first  Sunday  by  boarding  two 
of  the  ten  steamers  off  Hankow,  and  in- 
vitino"  the  sailors  to  come  to  the  services 
on  shore.  The  following  Monday  found 
Dr.  Mackenzie  at  reo^ular  attendance  at  the 
hospital  in  the  morning,  and  hard  at  the 
study  of  Chinese  in  the  afternoon. 


JOHN  KENNETH  MACKENZIE.  1 4/ 

In  writing  home  his  impressions  of  the 
scenes  about  him,  Dr.  Mackenzie  said : 
"  It  is  indeed  surprising  to  see  a  Chinese 
city,  the  streets  are  so  narrow  that  no  such 
thing  as  a  carriage  or  cart  could  possibly 
ofet  through.  In  the  widest  of  Hankow 
streets  not  more  than  four  or  five  people 
could  stand  abreast.  Yet  these  narrow 
streets  are  alive  with  people  all  day  long ; 
all  heavy  goods  are  carried  through  on 
wheelbarrows  or  on  coolies'  shoulders. 
The  richer  people  are  carried  in  sedan 
chairs,  and  every  one  has  to  make  way  for 
them.  The  shops  have  no  windows,  but 
expose  their  wares  directly  to  the  public 
ofaze." 

Dr.  Mackenzie  took  a  deep  interest  in 
the  evangelistic  work  of  the  Mission,  and 
gready  assisted  Mrs.  Griffith  John  in  her 
labor  among  the  sailors.  With  regard  to 
his  special  work  among  the  sick,  Dr.  Mac- 
kenzie found  much  prejudice,  and  wrote: 
"The  Chinese  will  only  come  to  us  when 
other  help  is  of  no  avail."  But  as  days 
went  on  the  hospital  practice  greatly  in- 


148  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

creased,    and    patients    at    the    dispensary 
multiplied. 

In  the  early  fall  Dr.  Mackenzie,  by  suc- 
cessful operations,  restored  vision  to  two 
young  girls  from  the  interior.  The  girls 
were  intelliofent,  and  became  at  once  inter- 
ested  in  the  teachings  of  Christianity ;  and 
through  their  influence  many  came  to  the 
hospital,  not  alone  that  they  might  be 
healed  of  their  physical  ailments,  but  that 
they  might  learn  of  the  truth.  Again,  a  lit- 
erary man  was  healed,  and  in  departing 
from  the  hospital  took  away  with  him  a 
very  complete  knowledge  of  the  religion 
of  Christ,  and  thus  gradually  the  wall  of 
prejudice  to  foreign  innovation,  "  Christ's 
greatest  stumbling-block,"  gave  way,  and 
Dr.  Mackenzie  wrote  :  "  For  this  I  am  very 
thankful,  for  it  is  my  aim  to  make  the  hos- 
pital a  means  of  proclaiming  the  gospel  and 
reaching  the  hearts  of  the  people  through 
kindness  and  whatever  benefit  medically 
one  can  give  them." 

Dr.  Mackenzie  made  many  journeys  with 
Griffith  John  into  the  interior  villages,  and 


JOHN  KEXXETH  MACKENZIE.  1 49 

often  met  with  dangerous  persecution  from 
the  natives,  sometimes  being-  in  cities  that 
no  Enorhshman  had  ever  before  visited. 

As  these  visits  were  always  fruitful  in 
the  healing  of  physical  troubles,  as  well  as 
in  the  preaching  of  God's  truth,  converts 
from  all  parts  of  the  province  came  to 
Hankow,  and  the  fame  of  the  skilful  West- 
ern surgeon  spread  far  and  wide.  Many 
diseases  hitherto  considered  incurable  were 
healed,  and  patients  returned  home  rejoi- 
cing. In  speaking  of  medical  theories  in 
China,  Dr.  Mackenzie  said  :  "  Chinese  doc- 
tors profess  to  be  able  to  diagnose  disease 
by  the  state  of  the  pulse  only.  Their 
knowledge  of  anatomy  and  physiology  is 
almost  nil ;  yet  in  place  of  exact  knowledge 
they  substitute  the  most  absurd  theories. 
To  a  larofe  extent  druCTs  are  unknown, 
and  most  wonderful  healing  properties  are 
attributed  to  such  substances  as  drag"- 
on's  teeth,  fossils,  tiger  bones,  pearls,  etc. 
Moreover,  superstitious  notions  and  prac- 
tices control  and  pervert  medicine.  In 
almost  every  case  of  sickness,  idols,  astrolo- 


I  50  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

gers,  and  fortune-tellers  are  consulted.  It 
is  not  wonderful,  therefore,  that  medical 
science  being  in  so  unsatisfactory  a  state  in 
China,  the  cures  wrought  by  the  foreign 
doctors  seem  to  the  people  little  short  of 
miraculous." 

Dr.  Mackenzie's  practice  included  all 
kinds  of  treatment,  from  surgery  to  admin- 
istration in  cases  of  leprosy.  Writing  of 
the  opium  patients  he  said  :  "  You  will  see 
how  the  work  among  opiuni-smokers  has 
been  increased  when  I  give  you  the  follow- 
ing fio-ures.  For  the  first  ten  months  eio-ht 
persons  only  agreed  to  enter  the  hospital. 
During  the  past  year,  the  numbers  have 
increased  to  two  hundred  and  thirty-five ; 
and  durino-  the  last  month  and  a  half,  three 
hundred  and  twenty  have  entered  the 
wards  for  treatment." 

At  a  later  date  the  doctor  wrote  that  in 
one  year  seven  hundred  persons  were 
treated  for  opium  habits  in  the  Hankow 
hospital.  April  3,  1876,  a  note  in  the  doc- 
tor's diary  shows  that  he  then  began  prayer- 
meetings  for  the  in-patients.     Going  to  the 


JOHN  KENNETH  MACKENZIE.  151 

inland  towns  whenever  he  could  accom- 
pany Mr.  John  in  his  evangelistic  labors, 
Dr.  Mackenzie  learned  many  Chinese  char- 
acteristics ;  and  writing  of  these  he  said : 
"  The  people  will  tell  you,  when  you  ask 
them  what  they  worship,  '  that  heaven  and 
earth  are  greatest  and  parents  the  most 
honorable,'  They  will  not,  as  a  rule,  tell 
you  that  they  worship  idols  ;  they  have  no 
idea  of  a  Supreme  Being.  Their  contempt 
for  foreigners  is  very  great." 

In  December,  1876,  Dr.  Mackenzie  went 
down  to  Shanohai  to  meet  Miss  Travers, 
the  lady  to  whom  he  was  engaged  while  in 
Bristol ;  and  on  the  ninth  they  were  married 
in  the  cathedral  by  Dean  Butcher,  and  then 
left  at  once  for  their  station  at  Hankow. 
The  young  wife  entered  into  the  life  work 
of  her  husband  with  much  enthusiasm,  and 
with  him  greatly  aided  in  the  constant 
work  of  Mrs.  John  among  the  sailors  an- 
chored in  Hankow  harbor,  and  with  the 
patients  in  the  hospital. 

In  August,  1877,  Dr.  Mackenzie  wrote 
to    his  mother  of  a  class    Mrs.  John  had 


152  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

formed  to  teach  a  more  complete  knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures  to  native  assistants 
and  others,  and  said  :  "I  attended  the  class 
with  the  object  of  enlarging-  my  vocabulary ; 
but  I  now  enjoy  the  meeting  for  itself,  and 
I  am  as  fond  of  hearinof  a  sermon  in  Chi- 
nese  as  in  English."  Oct.  30,  1877,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Mackenzie  rejoiced  in  the  birth 
of  a  daughter.  The  child  was  baptized  at 
the  usual  Chinese  Sunday  services  by  Mr. 
John,  and  named  Margaret  Ethel. 

The  winter  of  1877-78  was  a  very  se- 
vere one  in  Hankow,  and  there  was  much 
distress.  "  One  benevolent  society  alone," 
wrote  the  doctor,  "has  given  out  as  many 
as  one  himdred  and  forty  coffins  to  bury 
people  found  dead  in  our  streets  in  one 
day."  Later  on  the  cholera  appeared 
among  the  natives  ;  and  worn  out  by  inces- 
sant labor.  Dr.  Mackenzie  went  with  his 
family  to  the  lakes  for  a  few  days  rest. 

In  March,  1879,  Dr.  Mackenzie  was 
compelled  by  family  reasons  to  leave  the 
Hankow  mission  and  his  work,  which 
had  there  been   physically  and  spiritually 


JOHX  KEXNETH  MACKENZIE.  I  53 

blessed,  and  to  seek  a  home  farther  north. 
Having  asked  of,  and  received  from,  the 
London  Missionary  Society  an  appointment 
to  Tien-Tsin,  Dr.  Mackenzie  and  his  family 
went  thither,  and  were  warmly  welcomed 
by  Mr.  and   Mrs.   Lees. 

Dr.  Mackenzie  found  the  mission,  from  a 
medical  point  of  view,  very  far  from  bright, 
the  institution  in  charge  of  a  native  dis- 
penser, and  without  funds  to  buy  foreign 
drugs.  Many  weary  months  were  passed 
in  earnest  prayer  to  God  and  man  for  aid  ; 
and  at  last  through  the  clouds  broke  a 
lio-ht  which  will  endure  for  all  time,  and 
which  afterwards  crowned  Dr.  Mackenzie's 
labors  with  success:  Royal  favor  was  ob- 
tained through  the  healing  of  the  Viceroy's 
wife  ;  and  His  Excellency,  convinced  of  the 
doctor's  skill,  set  apart  an  entire  quadrangle 
of  one  of  the  finest  temples  in  Tien-Tsin 
for  dispensary  work,  and  contributed  £  200. 
to  purchase  drugs  for  immediate  use.  Dr. 
Mackenzie  was  appointed  physician  to  the 
royal  household,  but  refused  to  accept  sal- 
ary for  the  same,   asking   rather  that  the 


154  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

money  given  might  go  to  the  support  of 
the  medical  work  at  the  temple. 

Later,  through  public  subscription,  a  hos- 
pital was  erected  on  vacant  space  of  the 
London  Mission  Compound,  and  the  build- 
ings were  dedicated  by  His  Excellency 
Dec.  2,  1880  ;  the  occasion  was  one  of  spe- 
cial interest,  marking  an  important  phase 
in  the  history  of  medical  missions  in  China. 
Heretofore  the  work  had  been  carried  on 
by  foreign  aid,  but  through  the  untiring- 
effort  of  Dr.  Mackenzie  was  now  supported 
from  native  sources.  From  the  first,  Dr. 
Mackenzie  desired  to  make  the  hospital 
free  to  all  who  were  unable  to  pay  ;  and 
from  money  received  for  his  own  personal 
expenses  he  immediately  started  a  reserved 
fund,  which,  as  time  w^ent  on,  was  increased 
by  wealthy  patients  and  patrons  of  the  in- 
stitution ;  and  in  December,  1883,  Dr. 
Mackenzie  wrote  to  his  brother  that  he  had 
placed  seven  thousand  taels  in  trust  as  a 
reserve  fund,  the  interest  to  be  used  in  the 
work  of  Christian  medical  missions. 

Ten  years  before  Dr.  Mackenzie's  work 


JOHN  KENNETH  MACKENZIE.  1 55 

in  Tien-tsin,  the  Chinese  government  had 
sent  several  lads  selected  from  respectable 
families  to  the  best  schools  in  America  ;  but 
in  1 88 1,  certain  reports  having  reached  the 
Pekin  foreign  office  that  the  students  were 
throwino-  aside  the  manners  and  customs 
of  their  forefathers,  and  were  in  some  cases 
adopting,  not  only  foreign  ideas,  but  for- 
eio^n  religions,  a  mandate  was  issued  recall- 
ine  the  whole  number.  Dr.  Mackenzie 
issued  a  memorial,  asking  the  Viceroy  to 
place  eight  of  these  boys  under  his  charge 
to  study  medicine,  with  a  view  to  their 
becoming  medical  officers  under  the  gov- 
ernment. The  proposition  was  agreed  to, 
and  the  school  inaugurated  Dec.  15,  1881. 

Feb.  18,  1883,  Dr.  Mackenzie  was 
obliged  to  accompany  his  wife  on  her  sec- 
ond trip  to  England,  as  she  was  now  too  ill 
to  travel  alone.  His  visit  home  was  passed 
in  awakeninof  interest  in  the  Tien-tsin  mis- 
sion,  and  in  a  short  visit  with  his  brother 
to  the  Continent. 

Dr.  Mackenzie  returned  to  China  Sept. 
25,  saddened  by  the  separation   from    his 


156  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

wife,  who  was  not  able  to  accompany  him  ; 
and  the  breaking  up  of  his  home  was  a 
sorrow  whicli  shadowed  all  his  after  life. 

In  18S4  the  Viceroy  sent  twelve  addi- 
tional students  to  the  medical  school ;  and 
under  his  orders  a  new  hospital  was  built, 
and  given  entirely  to  the  charge  of  Dr. 
Mackenzie,  who  gave  great  prominence  to 
the  evangelistic  side  of  his  teaching  ;  thus 
promoting  "The  Double  Cure,"  so  dear  to 
his  heart.  In  the  midst  of  earnest  and  suc- 
cessful efforts  for  all  that  makes  for  right- 
eousness. Dr.  Mackenzie  was  stricken  with 
the  dread  disease,  smallpox,  and  on  Easter 
morning,  1888,  rested  from  his  labors. 

Dr.  Mackenzie  sacrificed  home,  family, 
life,  for  his  convictions,  embodied  in  the 
followinor  words  :  — 

"  Nothinof  can  save  China  but  Christi- 
anity  —  a  heart  religion  in  place  of  a  hollow 
morality.  Once  let  China  awake  from  her 
lethargy,  moved  by  the  spirit  of  God,  puri- 
fied and  in  her  right  mind,  and  she  will  be- 
come a  mighty  power  for  enduring  good." 


XI. 

JOSEPH  HARDY  NEE  SIM  A. 

Born,  Jan.   m,  1843;  Died,  Jan.    23,  189a 


JOSEPH    H.    NEESIWIA. 


XI. 

JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA. 

Perhaps  no  single  private  life  can  better 
portray  genuine  Japanese  characteristics 
than  that  of  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima.  In 
1843,  ten  years  before  Commodore  Perry 
entered  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  he  was  born.  His 
father  served  a  prince  whose  palace  was  in 
the  city  of  Yedo, 

The  feudal  system  being  in  existence, 
boys  were  preferred  to  girls  in  the  fami- 
lies of  the  samurai,  as  male  heirs  alone 
could  perpetuate  their  rank  and  allowance. 
Four  girls  having  preceded  Neesima,  his 
o-randfather  hearingr  of  a  male  born  into 
the  family  cried  "  Shimeta  !  "  an  exclama- 
tion of  joy  at  the  realization  of  some  long 
cherished  hope  ;  and  the  boy  was  called 
Shimeta,  the  name  being  written  after 
Neesima,  as  is  usual  in  Japan. 

159 


l6o  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Neesima's  parents  were  Shintoists,  and 
in  his  fifth  year  Neesima  was  taken  to  the 
temple  of  the  god  supposed  to  be  his  Hfe 
guardian  to  offer  thanks  for  his  protection. 
The  occasion  was  a  joyous  one,  and  Nee- 
sima was  as  gayly  dressed  as  the  heirs  of 
the  nobihty  at  an  Enghsh  christening. 

Neesima's  father  was  a  teacher  of  pen- 
manship, and  many  pilgrimages  were  made 
to  the  temple  of  Japanese  hieroglyphics. 
Several  gods  were  kept  in  the  home,  to 
which  the  family  made  offerings.  Neesima 
worshipped  these  gods  until  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  then,  seeing  they  did  not 
partake  of  the  food  provided  for  them,  re- 
fused to  do  so. 

At  an  early  age  he  developed  studious 
habits,  but  was  very  shy,  and  having  some 
slight  impediment  in  his  speech,  was  sent 
to  a  school  of  etiquette,  where  he  acquired 
graceful  manners  and  polite  conversational 
style.  He  was  selected  by  the  prince  to  at- 
tend a  military  school  which  had  been  es- 
tablished under  the  auspices  of  the  Shogun, 
but  later  he  gave  up  these  exercises  and 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA.  l6l 

devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  Chinese 
classics.  Ag-ain  he  was  fortunate  in  beino- 
one  of  three  selected  to  take  lessons  in 
Dutch  from  a  native  teacher  called  by  the 
prince  to  the  court  to  teach  his  subjects. 
Afterwards  the  prince  promoted  Neesima 
to  the  position  of  assistant  teacher  in  a 
Chinese  school. 

Soon  after  this,  Neesima's  prince  and 
patron  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother,  a  man  of  inferior  education.  Nee- 
sima, now  fifteen  years  of  age,  was  obliged 
to  commence  service  to  the  prince,  his  busi- 
ness beine  to  sit  in  a  little  office  connected 
with  the  front  end  of  the  castle  and  watch 
the  hall,  and,  with  other  youths,  to  bow 
profoundly  as  the  prince  went  out  or  came 
in,  and  to  pass  the  rest  of  the  time  in  gossip 
and  tea-drinkingr.  This  life  was  intolerable 
to  him,  and  he  often  planned  to  escape  it  by 
running  away  from  home  ;  but  love  of  fam- 
ily, a  strong  Japanese  characteristic,  kept 
him  under  his  father's  roof  until  he  was 
seventeen  years  of  age,  when  the  war  cloud 
caused  by  the  imperial  party  rising  against 


1 62  GREAT  I\riSSIONARIES. 

the  Shoguii  threw  the  country  into  fearful 
commotion,  and  Neesima  was  chosen  as  a 
life-guard  to  his  prince.  While  thus  en- 
gaged he  pursued  his  studies  luider  great 
difficulties,  but  always  with  untiring  persis- 
tency ;  and  he  was  allowed  time  to  go  to  the 
Shoofun's  naval  school  for  lessons  in  mathe- 
matics.  Here  one  day  he  caught  sight  of  a 
Dutch  warship  lying  at  anchor  in  Yedo 
Bay.  "  This  dignified  sea  queen,"  com- 
pared with  the  "clumsy  disproportioned 
Japanese  junks,"  proved  an  "  object  lesson  " 
to  Neesima  ;  and  there  was  born  within 
him  the  great  desire  for  the  improvement 
of  himself  and  his  country.  The  winter  of 
the  same  year  he  had  an  opportunity  to  go 
by  steamer  to  Tamashima.  This  was  his 
first  liberation  from  his  prince's  "  square 
enclosure,"  and  his  first  experience  with 
different  and  individual  ideas  ;  his  horizon 
widened,  and  he  was  filled  with  new  desires 
for  freedom. 

Returning  to  Yedo,  and  sympathizing 
fully  with  the  "imperial  party"  yet  bound 
by  the  moral  code  of   Confucius  to  "  the 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA.  1 63 

services  of  love  and  reverence  to  parents," 
Neesima  became  distrait  and  restless,  and 
his  life  might  have  been  entirely  perverted 
had  not  destiny  intervened.  In  being  asked 
of  the  formative  influences  of  his  life, 
Neesima,  looking  back  to  this  time,  might 
well  exclaim  with  Charles  Kingsley,  "  I 
had  a  friend."  This  "  friend"  had  a  small 
library,  and  among  the  books  proffered  for 
his  use  Neesima  found  a  Japanese  transla- 
tion of  Robinson  Crusoe,  and  among  several 
Chinese  books  an  historical  geography  of 
the  United  States  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bridgman 
of  the  North  China  Mission,  a  brief  His- 
tory of  the  World,  written  by  an  English 
missionary  in  China,  Dr.  Williams's  little 
magazines,  and  a  few  books  teaching  the 
Christian  religion,  and  published  at  Hong- 
Kong  or  Shanghai.  Speaking  of  these 
books,  Mr.  Neesima  in  later  life  said,  "  I 
read  them  with  close  attention.  I  was  partly 
a  sceptic,  and  partly  struck  with  reverential 
awe.  I  became  acquainted  with  the  name 
of  the  Creator  through  those  Dutch  books 
I   had  studied   before  ;  but   it  never  came 


164  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

home  so  dear  to  my  heart  as  when  I  read 
the  simple  story  of  God's  creation  of  the 
universe  on  those  pages  of  a  brief  Chinese 
Bible  History.  I  found  out  that  the  world 
we  live  upon  was  created  by  his  unseen 
hand,  and  not  by  mere  chance.  I  discov- 
ered in  the  same  history  that  his  other 
name  was  the  '  Heavenly  Father,'  which 
created  in  me  more  reverence  towards  him, 
because  I  thought  he  was  more  to  me  than 
a  mere  Creator  of  the  world.  All  these 
books  helped  me  to  behold  a  Being,  some- 
what dimly  yet,  in  my  mental  eye,  who  was 
so  blindly  concealed  from  me  during  the 
first  two  decades  of  my  life." 

At  this  time  no  missionaries  were  allowed 
in  Japan.  So  Neesima,  recognizing  God  as 
the  only  father  to  whom  he  owed  life  fealty, 
determined  to  break  the  environments  of 
his  youth,  and  to  leave  temporarily  his 
home  and  country.  With  some  difficulty 
he  obtained  first  his  prince's,  then  his  pa- 
rents', sanction  to  leave  Yedo,  ostensibly  to 
go  to  Hakodate,  and  in  the  spring  of  1864 
went  thither.     Neesima,    always    thinking 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEES/ATA.  1 65 

of  his  country  and  its  conditions,  watched 
closely  the  people  of  Hakodate,  and,  pain- 
fully cognizant  of  their  corrupt  existence, 
determined  that  Japan  needed  moral  refor- 
mation more  than  mere  material  progress. 
His  desire  to  visit  a  foreign  land  he  con- 
fided to  a  Japanese  clerk  employed  by  an 
English  merchant.  This  friend  at  mid- 
night and  with  great  difficulty  conveyed 
Neesima  in  a  row-boat  alongside  an  Amer- 
ican vessel,  whose  kind-hearted  captain 
had  consented  to  take  the  Japanese  boy  as 
far  as  China.  At  Shanghai,  Neesima  was 
transferred  to  the  American  ship  Wild 
Rover,  whose  captain  employed  Neesima 
to  wait  upon  the  table ;  and  not  liking 
"  Shimeta,"  called  "  his  boy"  Joe,  and  was 
uniformly  kind  to  him.  After  a  four 
months'  voyage  the  ship  reached  Boston 
Harbor ;  and  throuo-h  the  kind  interest  of 
Captain  Taylor,  Neesima  was  introduced 
to  the  owner  of  the  Wild  Rover,  Mr.  Al- 
pheus  Hardy,  one  of  Boston's  noblest 
philanthropists. 

He  became   at  once    interested    in    the 


1 66  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

boy,  and,  with  Mrs.  Hardy,  assumed  the  re- 
sponsibiHty  of  his  education.  In  September, 
1865,  he  entered  the  EngHsh  department 
of  PhilHps  Academy,  Andover.  Here  he 
remained  until  1867,  when  his  benefactors 
sent  him  to  Amherst.  His  letters  during 
his  student  life  tell  of  frequent  illnesses, 
which  at  times  interfered  with  his  work,  of 
his  tramps  through  different  States  during 
vacation,  of  letters  from  his  Japanese  par- 
ents, of  his  anxiety  about  his  home  aftairs 
during  the  rise  of  the  princes  against  the 
shogun  in  1868- 1869,  of  his  growing 
spirituality,  and  of  his  heartfelt  gratitude 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardy. 

In  a  letter  dated  March  21,  1871,  Neesi- 
ma  writes  that  he  met  in  Boston,  Mori,  the 
Japanese  minister  sent  to  Washington  by 
the  mikado.  Mr.  Mori  offered  to  reimburse 
Mr.  Hardy  for  Neesima's  educational  ex- 
penses, and  thereby  make  Neesima  subject 
to  Japanese  government.  Mr.  Hardy  at 
once  declined  the  proposition.  On  Sept. 
17,  1 87 1,  Neesima  wrote  to  Mrs.  Hardy 
that  he  had   received  a  passport  from  the 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NKESIMA.  1 67 

Japanese  government,  and  that  from  the 
same  source  his  father  had  received  a  pa- 
per saying:  "  It  is  permitted  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  Neesima  Shimeta  to  remain 
and  study  in  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica." In  1872  an  embassy  representing 
the  imperial  government  oi  the  mikado 
visited  America  and  Europe  on  visits  of  in- 
quiry into  Western  civihzation  ;  and  Min- 
ister Mori  summoned  Mr.  Neesima  to 
Washington  to  meet  the  embassy,  and  to 
assist  Mr.  Tanaka,  the  commissioner  of  ed- 
ucation. In  this  way  Mr.  Neesima  became 
acquainted  with  the  most  progressive  men 
of  new  Japan,  whose  friendship  in  later 
years  was  of  great  value  to  him.  Fear- 
ing, however,  that  his  plan  to  return  to 
Jap'an  as  a  free  advocate  of  Christianity 
might  be  endangered,  he  carefully  stipu- 
lated that  Mr.  Mori  should  state  to  the 
embassy  that  any  service  desired  of  him 
would  be  undertaken  only  under  a  contract 
that  freed  him  from  all  obligation  to  the 
Japanese  government. 

Under  these  circumstances   he  was  en- 


1 68  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

gaged,  and  soon  proved  so  valuable  an  as- 
sistant, that  Mr.  Ta-naka  insisted  upon  his 
accompanying  the  embassy  to  Europe. 
There  he  gave  all  his  time  to  the  study  of 
the  best  methods  of  learning  in  schools 
and  institutions  of  all  grades  ;  and  on  the 
basis  of  his  reports  was  built  to-day''s  edu- 
cational system  in  Japan.  From  this  Eu- 
ropean trip  with  the  embassy  Mr.  Neesima 
returned  to  Andover  in  September,  1873. 

In  March,  1874,  Mr.  Neesima  formally 
offered  himself  to  the  American  Board, 
and  July  2  was  appointed  corresponding 
member  to  the  Japanese  mission.  He  was 
graduated  as  a  special  student  from  An- 
dover Theological  Seminary,  and  ordained 
in  Boston,  September  24. 

The  Board  held  its  sixty-fifth  annual 
meeting  at  Rutland,  Vt.,  that  autumn,  and 
Mr.  Neesima  spoke  on  the  establishment 
of  a  Christian  college  in  Japan.  By  his 
soul-felt  enthusiasm  the  young  Japanese 
carried  his  audience  with  him  ;  ^5,000  was 
at  once  subscribed,  and  Neesima's  dream 
became  a  reality. 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA.  1 69 

In  October,  after  an  absence  of  ten 
years,  Neesima  left  New  York  for  his  na- 
tive land.  The  chancres  tliat  had  taken 
place  there  seemed  to  him  almost  incredi- 
ble. He  found  a  national  line  of  steamers, 
lighthouses  at  all  important  coast  points,  a 
general  telegraphic  system,  a  postal  service, 
an  organized  navy,  and  a  railway  between 
Yokohama  and  the  capital.  In  the  treaty 
ports  small  Protestant  churches  had  been 
established  ;  but  in  visiting  his  parents  at 
Annoka,  directly  after  his  arrival  in  Japan, 
Neesima  was  the  first  to  carry  the  gospel 
to  the  interior,  and  here  he  founded  one  of 
the  most  genuinely  Christian  communities 
in  Japan. 

Neesima  arrived  at  Osaka,  the  home  of 
the  American  Board  Mission,  Jan.  22,  and  ^ 
here  he  planned  to  establish  a  Christian 
school  with  a  broad  collegiate  course  ;  but 
meeting  with  opposition,  'he  gave  up  the 
project,  and  turned  his  steps  towards 
Kyoto.  Here  he  met  with  many  and  va- 
ried difficulties,  but  by  persistent  effort 
opened,  Nov.  25,  1875,  the  Doshisha,  with 


170  GREAT  MISSIOXARIES. 

eight  pupils.  The  winter  of  1875  was  one 
of  hardship  and  discouragement ;  but  as- 
sisted by  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Davis,  D.D.,  he 
maintained  the  school,  which  constantly 
increased  in  numbers. 

On  Jan.  2,  1876,  Neesima  was  married 
to  the  sister  of  the  counsellor  to  the  Kyoto 
Fu.  She  had  been  a  teacher  in  the  eov- 
ernment  school  for  oriels,  but  her  eneaee- 
ment  to  a  Christian  caused  her  discharge. 

After  her  marriage  she  entered  fully 
into  her  husband's  life-work  ;  and  in  their 
house,  provided  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Sears  of 
Boston,  services  were  constantly  held,  and 
Christian   teaching  promulgated. 

From  1876  to  1884  Mr.  Neesima's  life 
was  filled  with  trials,  and  obstacles  of  every 
kind  threatened  the  very  existence  of  the 
Doshisha.  The  fact  that  the  school,  while 
nominally  a  Japanese  company,  was  in  re- 
ality supported  from  foreign  means,  caused 
an  attack  which  compelled  Mr.  Neesima  to 
write  to  the  Prudential  Committee  for  a 
permanent  endowment ;  and  in  November, 
1879,   ^^^   received   the  Joyful  tidings  that 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA.  I/I 

the  year's  appropriation  of  eight  thousand 
dollars  would  soon  be  placed  under  his  di- 
rection for  the  educational  work  in  Kyoto, 

The  keynote  of  true  teaching  was  struck 
by  Mr.  Neesima's  effort  to  disseminate 
Christianity  through  an  educated  ministry. 
In  1880  he  writes:  "Try  to  send  out 
choice  men,  —  Christians  must  not  be 
charged  with  beine  igrnoramuses,  —  or  we 
shall  be  ridiculed  for  our  lack  of  learninof 
as  well  as  for  our  faith.  We  need  the 
broadest  culture  and  Christian  spirit  to 
counteract  the  downward  tenciency  of  our 
educated  youth." 

Through  all  his  work  Mr.  Neesima  en- 
tertained  the  hope  born  at  Andover  of  a 
Christian  university  at  Japan,  and  deter- 
mined to  raise  endowments  for  history, 
philosophy,  political  economy,  law,  and 
medicine.  His  personal  activity  in  this  di- 
rection was  incessant  ;  but,  his  health  fail- 
ing, he  accepted  in  1884  an  invitation  for 
rest  and  change  from  the  Board,  and  visited 
Europe  and  America.  During  this  trip  he 
everywhere  inspected  schools  and  colleges. 


1 7  2  GREA  T  MISSION  A  r/eS. 

and  noted  in  detail  methods  and  results, 
and  made  plans  of  buildings  and  appa- 
ratus. 

He   arrived   in    Boston,  Sept.   27,   1884; 
but  even  there  he  was  not  freed  from  care 
and  responsibilities.     The  outlook  in  Japan 
was  broadening,  and  the  demand  great  to 
place  the  Doshisha  upon  a  university  basis; 
and  he  was  looked   upon   as  the  medium 
between  Japan  and  the  source  of  its  sup- 
ply.     In    December   it    became    necessary 
for  him    to  go  to   Clifton    Springs,    N.Y., 
for  rest  at  the  Sanitarium.      He  left  there 
in  March,  1885,  somewhat  better  in  health, 
and  cheered  by  the  news  that  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  had  been  appropriated  for  the 
Japan  mission.      He  arrived  at  Yokohama 
Dec.    12,    1885,   "and  found  five  hundred 
friends,   students,   teachers,    relatives,  and 
prominent    citizens,"    assembled    there    to 
meet  him.     The   day  after   this  the  tenth 
anniversary   of   the    Doshisha    was    cele- 
brated, and  the  corner-stone   of  two  new 
buildings  laid.     The  school  was  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition  ;   and  the  Japanese  boy  of 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA.  1 73 

long-  ago  was  now,   by  acclamation  of  its 
faculty,   president  of  the  college. 

Two  years  later  Amherst  College  con- 
ferred upon  Neesima  the  degree  of  doctor 
of  laws.  May  17,  1887,  an  income  of  not 
less  than  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  per 
annum  was  assured  to  the  Doshisha  by 
the  American  Board.  In  April,  1888,  a 
meeting  was  held  in  the  great  Buddhist 
temple  of  Chionin  in  Kyoto,  to  consider 
the  question  of  a  university  endowment. 
In  July  a  dinner  was  given  to  Mr.  Nee- 
sima by  the  late  minister  of  foreign  affairs, 
that  he  might  present  this  question  to  dis- 
tinguished Japanese  guests.  At  this  din- 
ner Mr.  Neesima  fainted,  worn  out  by  his 
efforts.  The  result  of  the  meetinsf  was  a 
pledge  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  to  the 
university.  In  the  summer  of  1888  he 
was  told  by  his  physicians  that  he  had  not 
long  to  live,  and  by  their  advice  was  taken 
to  a  mountain  resort  (Ikao)  ;  here  he  was 
cheered  by  the  gift  to  the  Doshisha  of  a 
hundred  thousand  dollars  from  Mr.  J.  N. 
Harris  of  New  London,  Conn.     Writing  to 


1/4  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Mr.  Harris,  Mr.  Neesima  says,  "  A  dona- 
tion like  this  is  unknown  and  unprece- 
dented in  our  country." 

During  the  summer  months  of  1889 
Neesima's  heakh  seemed  to  improve  ;  and 
after  seeing  the  foundation  for  the  new 
science  buikHng  laid,  he  went  to  Tokyo  to 
work  for  the  endowment  fund ;  but  rest 
was  again  advised  by  his  physicians,  and 
he  went  to  Oiso  ;  and  here,  Jan.  23,  1890, 
he  died. 

On  the  news  of  Mr.  Neesima's  danger- 
ous illness,  the  students  of  Doshisha  were 
with  difficulty  restrained  from  proceeding 
in  a  body  to  his  bedside.  On  Jan,  24 
the  body  was  taken  to  Kyoto,  where  the 
funeral  services  took  place,  Jan.  27,  in 
presence  of  the  school,  graduates  from  all 
parts  of  the  empire,  city  authorities,  and 
representatives  of  foreign  missions.  In  the 
procession  (a  mile  and  a  half  in  length) 
was  seen  a  delegation  of  priests  bearing 
the  inscription,  "  From  the  Buddhists  of 
Osaka."  Truly  no  private  citizen  ever 
died  in  Japan    whose   loss  was  so  widely 


JOSEPH  HARDY  XEESTMA.  I  75 

and  so  deeply  felt  as  that  of  Mr.  Neesima. 
On  the  plaui  below  Kyoto  stands  his  out- 
ward monument,  the  Doshisha,  from  whose 
walls  have  come  the  most  powerful  factors 
in  the  civilization  of  new  Japan  ;  but  in  the 
lives  of  the  men  about  him  is  written  the 
endurance  of  his  influence,  the  divinity  of 
his  soul. 


XII. 

JOHN    WILLIAMS. 

The  martyr  missionary  of  Polynesia. 
Born  June  27,  1796.     Died  Nov.  20,  1839. 


JOHN   WILLIAMS. 


XII. 

JOHN   WILLIAMS. 

The  story  of  the  life  and  ministry  of 
John  WilHams  will  ever  occupy  a  promi- 
nent place  in  the  history  of  missions  ;  for 
to  the  intense  devotion  and  zeal  which 
he  broug-ht  to  his  work  was  added  an 
originality  of  method  which  has  bene- 
fited all  who  came  after  him. 

In  early  life  there  were  no  marked 
indications  of  the  part  he  was  to  take  in 
the  great  work  of  the  world's  evangeliza- 
tion. 

He  was  suddenly  brought  to  a  decision, 

and  his  life  instantly  changed  from  one  of 

aimless  indifference  to  that  of  enthusiastic 

activity,    with    a    distinct    and    determined 

purpose    in   view,    to   the    accomplishment 

of  which    he   brought   to   bear    all    of   his 

genius  and  attractive  personality. 

He  was  born  June  27,  1796,  in  the  same 

179 


l8o  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

year,  and  within  a  few  weeks  of  the  time, 
that  the  London  Missionary  Society  sent 
out  the  first  missionary  to  the  South  Sea 
Islands.  This  band  of  thirty  missionaries 
sailed  in  the  Duff,  Aug.  lo,  1796. 

In  the  little  village  of  Tottenham,  Eng- 
land, six  miles  north  of  London,  he  was 
born,  and  lived  until  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  it  was  thought  by  his  parents  time 
for  him  to  begin  his  business  training ;  and 
he  was  apprenticed  to  an  ironmonger  in 
London  for  seven  years.  From  this  con- 
tract he  was  released  at  the  end  of  six 
years  to  take  up  his  great  work  in  the 
South  Seas. 

Life  in  a  great  city  then,  as  now,  was 
a  severe  test  of  the  Christian  character 
of  a  young  lad  ;  and  after  four  years  of 
its  diversions  and  temptations,  we  find  him 
at  eighteen  drifting  with  the  multitude. 

He  was  standing  one  Sunday  evening 
on  a  street  corner,  waiting  for  some  com- 
panions who  were  to  meet  him  there,  and 
go  with  him  to  the  Highbury  Tea-Gar- 
dens,   when   a  lady,   the  wife   of  his  em- 


JOHN    WILLIAMS.  l8l 

ployer,  on  her  way  to  church,  passed  ; 
recoQiiizine  him,  she  turned  back  and  asked 
hhu  to  eo  to  church.  He  refused,  but  she 
felt  constrained  to  urge  ;  her  persistence, 
and  the  faihire  of  his  chums  to  appear, 
decided  him,  and  with  reluctance  he  ac- 
companied her  to  the  old  Whitefield  Taber- 
nacle. The  sermon  from  the  text,  "  What 
shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? "  proved  to 
be  the  word  in  season  ;  for  he  went  out 
from  the  house  a  new  creature,  immedi- 
ately forsaking  his  worldly  companions 
and  sinful  ways. 

He  became  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  at  once  entered  upon  a  new 
and  higher  life,  availing  himself  of  every 
means  for  self-improvement  which  would 
better  fit  him  for  usefulness  in  his  Chris- 
tian life. 

To  his  success  in  this  direction  very 
much  credit  is  due  the  Rev.  Matthew  Wilks, 
then  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle.  Mr.  Wilks 
was  an  eloquent  preacher,  full  of  mis- 
sionary zeal,  a  faithful  pastor,  with  a  keen 


1 82  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

discernment  of  character,  which  led  him  to 
see  in  John  WilHams  capabihties  for  great 
usefuhiess,  and  to  invite  him  to  join  a  class 
of  young  men  whom  he  then  had  under 
instruction  for  the  ministry.  These  studies 
were  continued  for  two  years,  until  his 
appointment  by  the  London  Missionary 
Society. 

It  was  customary  in  this  church,  which 
stood  foremost  in  missionary  enthusiasm 
of  any  in  London,  to  have  quarterly  mis- 
sionary meetings ;  and  it  was  at  one  of 
these  meetings  that  John  Williams  felt  his 
first  call  to  the  work.  Soon  after  he  sent 
his  application,  with  these  words  :  "  If  this, 
and  the  account  which  the  Rev.  Matthew 
Wilks  can  give  of  me,  should  not  meet 
with  your  approval,  I  hope  and  pray  that 
you  will  on  no  account  for  the  sake  of  my 
soul  offer  me  the  least  encouragement." 

He,  with  eight  others,  one  of  whom  was 
the  noted  Robert  Moffat,  were  ordained 
and  set  apart  to  the  missionary  ministry, 
in  Surrey  Chapel,  London,  on  the  30th  of 
September,  18 16. 


JOHX   IVILLfAMS.  1 83 

It  was  at  first  intended  that  John  Wil- 
liams and  Robert  Moffat  should  o-o  out 
together,  but  objection  was  made  on  ac- 
count of  the  extreme  youthfulness  of  both. 
In  the  words  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Waueh : 
"  Tha  twa  callants  were  ower  young  ta 
CTano-  t'ofether."  But  Mr.  Williams  found  a 
companion  before  going.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Chauner,  a  young  lady  in 
the  same  church,  of  devoted  Christian 
character,  who  had  lonof  cherished  the  de- 
sire  to  be  a  missionary  ;  and  she  was  to 
him,  through  all  of  his  varied  and  hazard- 
ous experiences,  a  strong  support. 

The  young  husband,  with  his  pretty, 
girlish-looking  bride,  sailed  with  other 
missionaries  for  the  South  Seas  on  the 
17th  of  November,  1816;  and  exactly 
twelve  months  from  that  date  landed  at 
Eimeo,  one  of  the  Society  group. 

His  active  mind  and  ready  hands  were 
never  at  a  loss  for  something  to  do  ;  and 
he  proceeded  to  build  a  boat,  which  he  saw 
was  greatly  needed  by  both  missionaries 
and    natives.     This   was    the    first  of  five 


184  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

boats  built  by  him  during  his  nineteen 
years  of  ministry  on  these  islands.  In  ten 
months  he  had,  by  a  method  of  his  own, 
mastered  the  difficult  language,  which 
usually  took  three  years,  and  was  ready 
to  preach  to  the  natives. 

At  this  time  there  came  to  the  mission 
a  call  from  the  neighboring  island  of 
Huahine  for  teachers  ;  and  Mr.  Williams, 
with  two  other  missionaries  and  their 
wives,  responded  to  the  call,  and  starteci 
a  new  mission  there. 

It  was  not  long,  however,  before  a  call 
came  to  this  mission  from  the  island  of 
Raiatea.  Tamatao,  the  king,  who  came 
with  the  message,  had  been  converted  to 
Christianity  while  on  a  visit  to  Tahiti,  and 
on  returnino-  had  induced  some  of  his  sub- 
jects  to  join  him  ;  but  they  had  been  sorely 
persecuted  on  account  of  their  faith,  and 
when  they  came  to  the  missionaries  for 
help,  it  was  decided  that  Mr.  Williams 
should  Q-Q  with  Kinof  Tamatao  to  his  beau- 
tiful  island.  Here  dates  the  beofinnino-  of 
his  remarkably    successful  career    of   mis- 


JOUX    U'/LLIAMS.  185 

sionary  labors,  extending  to  so  large  a 
number  of  those  benighted  peoples.  With 
Raiatea  of  the  Society  group  as  his  first 
centre  or  base  of  operations,  Raratonga  of 
the  Hervey  group  as  his  second,  and 
Upolu  of  the  Samoan  group  as  his  third, 
he  was  able  to  spread  the  gospel  to  most 
of  the  islands  in  each  of  these  groups. 

He  was  planning  a  similar  work  among 
the  New  Hebrides,  and  had  gone  there  in- 
tending- to  start  a  fourth  mission  centre  on 
the  island  of  Erromango  at  the  time  of  his 
sudden  and  tragic  death. 

It  is  said  that  after  eighteen  years  the 
gospel  had  through  his  instrumentality 
been  given  to  a  population  of  about  three 
hundred  thousand,  while  many  more  had 
felt  the  uplifting  benefits  of  civilization 
which  he  had  so  skilfully  introduced 
amonof  them. 

Raiatea  was  considered  a  very  important 
point,  being  both  a  religious  and  political 
centre.  The  work  here  was,  as  at  other 
points,  wonderfully  successful,  by  reason  of 
his  personal  power  in  drawing  the  natives 


1 86  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

to  himself,  and  his  wisdom  and  tactful  man- 
agfement  of  them. 

His  teaching  was  comprehensive  ;  and 
they  were  not  only  instructed  in  spiritual 
things,  but  to  an  unusual  extent  were 
trained  in  the  arts  of  civilization.  Cap- 
tains of  ships  visiting  the  islands  were 
unanimous  in  their  praise  of  the  character 
of  his  work. 

His  first  step  here  was  to  draw  the  na- 
tives together  from  their  isolated  homes, 
where  they  were  living  in  hostility,  into  a 
settlement,  giving  then  an  object-lesson  in 
the  building  of  his  own  house.  The  plas- 
tered walls,  decorated  with  coloring  ob- 
tained  from  the  coral,  and  the  sofas,  chairs, 
and  tables  of  his  own  manufacture,  all 
greatly  interested  them.  The  king  and 
others  were  induced  to  follow  his  example, 
until  very  soon  there  was  a  little  town  of 
one  thousand,  extendinof  two  miles  alone 
the  coast. 

Aiming  always  to  keep  them  busy,  he 
stimulated  them  to  activity  by  various 
means.      He   built    another   boat,    ingen- 


JOHN   WILLIAMS.  1 8/ 

ioiisly  tying-  the  planks  tog-ether  with  na- 
tive cord,  then  offering  fifty  nails  to  the 
one  who  would  make  one  like  it. 

He  also  erected  a  sucrar-mill  for  the  use 
of  the  natives,  and  encouraged  the  culture 
of  the  native  cane.  They  soon  had  many 
plantations  under  cultivation,  and  various 
products  for  transportation. 

When  the  increasing  number  of  Chris- 
tians made  it  necessary  to  build  a  new 
chapel,  they  were  also  prepared  to  take 
another  step  in  civilization. 

This  new  church  building  was  a  unique 
structure,  in  that  it  had  an  apartment  for 
a  court-room,  in  which,  the  day  after  the 
dedication,  when  twenty-four  hundred  per- 
sons were  present,  the  people  again  con- 
vened and  adopted  a  code  of  laws  which 
he  had  prepared  for  them.  The  vote  for 
adoption  was  unanimous,  and  the  brother 
of  Tamatao  was  appointed  chief  justice. 

Their  lano-uao-e  was  reduced  to  writino-. 
and  schools  established,  into  which  were 
gathered  hundreds  of  children. 

Mr.  Williams  gave  special  attention  to 


1 88  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  trainino-  of  natives  as  teachers  and 
leaders,  sending  them  out  to  do  pioneer 
work  on  other  islands,  under  his  direction. 
Mr.  Williams  had  rare  qualities  for  this 
supervisory  work,  and  also  the  ability  to 
select  those  who  were  capable  of  doing  the 
work. 

His  son  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that 
"he  was  the  first  of  our  modern  missiona- 
ries so  to  use  native  ao'ents."  This  method 
has  been  extensively  adopted  by  the  mis- 
sionaries who  followed  him,  and  their  suc- 
cess proves  the  wisdom  of  it. 

His  heart  was  continually  going  out  to 
those  beyond  him.  He  could  not  content 
himself  within  the  narrow  limits  of  one 
little  reef,  and  he  made  frequent  visits  to 
neighboring  islands. 

He  said,  "  Had  I  a  ship  at  my  com- 
mand, not  an  island  in  the  Pacific  but 
should,  God  permitting,  be  visited,  and 
teachers  sent  to  direct  the  wanderino-  feet 

o 

of  the  heathen  to  happiness  and  to 
heaven." 

At   one   time,  being  obliged    to   go    to 


JOHN   WILLIAMS.  1 89 

Sydney  for  medical  treatment,  he,  with  per- 
mission of  the  Missionary  Societies'  agent, 
bought  a  ship,  which  he  loaded  with  food, 
clothinof,  and  useful  articles  for  the  island- 
ers,  also  some  sheep,  cows,  and  a  present 
from  the  ofovernor  to  the  island  chiefs. 
He  also  eno-as^ed  a  man  to  q-q  with  him 
to  teach  the  natives  aofriculture.  In  this 
vessel,  which  he  named  the  Endeavor,  he 
returned  to  Raiatea  with  great  joy.  By 
using  it  as  a  trading- vessel,  he  would 
be  able  to  keep  away  other  ships  which 
brought  nothinsf  but  evil.  He  called  them 
"  the  very  arks  of  Satan,"  and  considered 
the  Endeavor  a  profitable  investment,  if 
only  to  keep  these  away.  By  it  also  he 
would  get  beyond  his  one  little  reef,  and 
begin  on  his  cherished  project  of  planting 
a  mission  on  every  island  of  the  Pacific. 

He  made  one  tour  on  the  Endeavor, 
taking  six  native  teachers,  who  were  left 
on  different  islands,  and  discovered  Rara- 
tonga,  which  later  became  his  home  for 
a  time.  In  his  journal  at  this  time  we 
read  :  "  I  hope  for  great  things,  pray  for 


1 90  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

great  things,  and  confidently  expect  great 
things." 

But  much  to  his  disappointment  and 
sorrow,  and  contrary  to  his  judgment,  the 
directors  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
decided  that  a  ship  was  not  a  necessary 
part  of  a  missionary's  outfit,  and  the  En- 
deavor was   sold. 

They  did  not  understand  then  as  they 
did  later  the  breadth  and  scope  of  the 
work  he  had   in   mind. 

When  the  mission  at  Raiatea  was  well 
established,  he  transferred  his  home  and 
labors  to  Raratonga,  of  the  Hervey  group. 

Here,  as  elsewhere,  he  won  all  hearts  by 
his  strong  personality,  and  by  the  stimulat- 
ing example  of  his  ceaseless  activity  was 
able  to  do  for  them  all  that  had  been  ac- 
complished at  Raiatea ;  so  that  the  mission 
at  Raratoncra  became  a  stronghold,  send- 
ing  out  its  trained  workers  to  all  of  the 
adjacent  islands. 

The  natives  of  the  Samoan  Islands  had 
lonor  been  considered  the  most  savao-e  ©f 
any  in  the  South  Seas  ;  and  John  Williams, 


JOHN    WILLIAMS.  IQI 

for  this  reason,  no  doubt,  had  had  for  seve- 
ral years  a  great  desire  to  carry  the  gospel 
to  them.  When,  therefore,  the  enterprise 
at  Raratonga  was  in  turn  sufficiently  es- 
tablished, he  felt  the  renewed  call  to  go  to 
Samoa  so  strongly  that  he  could  no  longer 
resist  ;  and  with  what  seems  to  us  an 
inspiration  from  above,  he  went  to  work 
to  build  a  ship  large  enough  to  carry  him 
on  this  long  journey  of  two  thousand  miles. 
This  feat  has  been  looked  upon  as  border- 
ing on  the  miraculous,  from  the  fact  that 
he  had  neither  machinery  nor  materials  to 
work  with. 

He  named  this  vessel  the  Messenger  of 
Peace  ;  and  in  it,  after  visiting  all  the  islands 
where  he  had  succeeded  in  starting  the 
work,  he  proceeded  on  his  way  to  Samoa. 

We  cannot  in  this  condensed  sketch  go 
into  the  details  of  this  interesting  voyage. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  same  methods 
were  followed  that  had  been  employed  on 
previous  smaller  tours  ;  viz.,  teachers  were 
left  wherever  it  was  thought  to  be  safe  ; 
and   where    the    savage    condition    of   the 


192  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

natives  rendered  this  impossible,  efforts 
were  made  to  induce  a  few  of  them  to 
come  on  board  the  ship,  to  go  to  some 
neighboring  island,  where  every  means 
would  be  used  to  instruct  them  in  the 
truth,  so  that  when  he  returned  to  his 
home  again,  a  little  seed  might  be  sown, 
and  later  it  might  be  possible  to  place  a 
teacher  with  them. 

The  way  seemed  to  open  before  him-, 
and  in  less  than  two  years  from  this  first 
visit  to  Samoa,  a  complete  change  had 
taken  place  in  the  savage  Samoans,  — 
chapels  were  built,  and  schools  were  es- 
tablished everywhere. 

Having  now  spent  seventeen  years  in 
this  arduous  work,  and  feeling  the  need  of 
change,  he,  with  his  family,  consisting  of 
his  wife  and  two  sons,  returned  to  England, 
where  he  spent  four  years,  which  were 
considered  by  many  quite  as  fruitful  of 
good  as  any  spent  in  the  South  Sea. 
During  this  time  he  wrote  two  books,  had 
the  Raratongan  New  Testament  printed, 
spoke  to  many  large  audiences,  and  raised 


JOHN   WILLIAMS.  1 93 

;!^4,ooo  for  the  purchase  of  a  missionary 
ship,  and  for  the  establishment  of  a  col- 
lege at  Tahiti  for  the  education  of  native 
teachers. 

In  1838  he  and  his  wife  again  embarked 
for  the  South  Seas,  taking  ten  other  mis- 
sionaries in  the  Camden  (the  ship  which 
had  been  purchased  for  hini  in  London), 
landing  at  Upolu,  which  place  he  then 
considered  his  home.  He  spent  a  few 
months  here,  and  then  made  a  tour  of  all 
the  stations  where  he  had  established  mis- 
sions on  the  Society  and  Hervey  Islands, 
beino-  o-one  over  four  months.  After  a  few 
months  of  rest  and  preparation  at  Upolu, 
he  started  on  what  he  called  his  "  g-reat 
voyage  "  to  the  New  Hebrides.  For  some 
reason  he  seemed  to  be  unusually  im- 
pressed in  the  anticipations  of  this  un- 
dertaking, and  looked  upon  it  as  more 
important  than  anything  he  had  yet  accom- 
plished. At  his  farewell  sermon  the  day 
before  starting,  Nov.  3,  1839,  all  were 
deeply  affected.  On  the  sixteenth,  when 
wnthin  sixty  miles  of  the  New  Hebrides,  he 


194  GREAT  M/SS/ONARIES. 

wrote  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  "  We  shall  be 
there  early  to-morrow  morning.  This  even- 
ing we  are  to  have  a  special  prayer-meeting. 
Oh,  how  much  depends  upon  the  efforts  of 
to-morrow  !  Will  the  savages  receive  us  or 
7iot  ?  Perhaps  at  this  moment  you  or  some 
other  kind  friend  may  be  wrestling  with 
God  for  us.  I  am  all  anxiety.  ...  I 
brought  twelve  missionaries  with  me  ;  two 
have  settled  at  a  beautiful  island  of  Ro- 
tuma ;  the  ten  are  for  the  New  Hebrides 
and  New  Caledonia.  The  approaching 
week  is  to  me  the  most  important  of  my 
life." 

They  stopped  at  two  islands,  but  did 
not  land,  and  endeavored  to  create  such 
friendly  feeling  that  in  the  near  future 
they  might  be  able  to  land  and  leave 
teachers.  Landing  at  Port  Resolution, 
they  had,  in  Mr.  Williams's  words,  "  one  of 
the  most  interesting  visits  we  have  yet 
been  privileged  to  have  with  the  heathen 
in  their  barbarous  and  savage  state." 
Thence  on  to  fatal  Erromanga,  dark  Erro- 
manga.     So  intense  was  his  anxiety  in  re- 


JO  HA'   WILLIAMS.  1 95 

gard  to  future  developments,  that  he  slept 
very  little  the  night  previous,  and  on  this 
night  made  the  last  entry  in  his  diary  as 
follows  :  — 

Monday,  a.  m.,  iSth.  —  This  is  a  memor- 
able day  .  .  .  and  the  records  of  the  events 
will  exist  after  those  who  have  taken  an 
active  part  in  them  have  retired  into  the 
shades  of  oblivion ;  and  the  results  of  this 
day  ivill  be  " —  These  were  the  last  words 
he  ever  wrote. 

Landing  at  Dillon's  Bay,  Captain  Morgan 
thus  described  the  island :  "  The  shore 
looked  most  inviting,  placid  stillness  swept 
along  the  romantic  rocks,  and  the  moun- 
tains in  the  distance  presented  a  most  en- 
chantino"  scene." 

Encouraged  by  their  previous  friendly 
reception,  they  ventured  to  go  out  among 
the  natives  who  were  gathering  in  groups 
on  the  shore,  Mr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Harris 
going  some  distance,  carrying  presents  and 
making  friendly  advances.  Suddenly  there 
was  a  terrible  yell,  and  Mr.  Harris  was 
seen  running,  the  savages  after  him.    Cap- 


1 96  GREA  T  MISS  TO  A  'A  RIES. 


tain  Morofan  and  Mr.  Cunninorham,  who 
were  near  the  boat,  barely  escaped,  but 
the  others  were  stricken  down. 

Mr.  Wilhams  succeeded  in  reachinof  the 
beach,  and  the  waters  of  the  bay  were 
colored  with  the  blood  from  his  wounds  ; 
and  here  would  that  we  could  say  that  the 
bereaved  ones  on  the  ship  had  the  Chris- 
tian privilege  of  tenderly  caring  for  the 
bodies  of  their  dead  comrades,  giving  that 
little  comfort  to  the  breakinof  heart  of  her 
who  now  all  unconscious  of  the  terrible 
fate  was  patiently  awaiting  the  coming  of 
her  loved  one  ;  but  this  dark  picture  has 
no  such  relief,  for  the  Erromangas  were 
cannibals. 

On  a  tablet  in  Apia  in  Samoa  is  this  in- 
scription :  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  the 
Rev.  John  Williams,  Father  of  the  Samoan 
and  other  missions,  aged  43  years  and  5 
months,  who  was  killed  by  the  cruel  na- 
tives of  Erromanga,  on  November  20, 
1839,  while  endeavoring  to  plant  the 
Gospel  of  Peace  on  their  shores." 


XIII. 

ROBERT  IF.  LOGAN. 

Missionary  to  Micronesia. 
BoKN  May  4,  1843  ;    Died  Dec.  27,  1887. 


ROBERT  W.  LOGAN. 


XIII. 

ROBERT  VV.  LOGAN. 

Robert  William  Logan  was  born  in 
York,  Medina  County,  Ohio,  May  4, 
1843.  H^s  parents  were  from  Scotland, 
and  settled  upon  a  new  farm  on  this  por- 
tion of  the  Western  Reserve.  Here  they 
spent  their  strength  and  lives  in  the  toil 
incident  to  making  a  home  in  the  com- 
parative wilderness  of  this  new  country. 
Both  parents  died  when  Robert  was  quite 
young,  and  he  grew  up  under  the  care  of 
elder  brothers  and  a  sister. 

He  was  gentle,  sunny-tempered,  and 
oblio-ine,  which  led  him  to  be  a  favorite 
among  his  school-fellows,  while  his  natural 
ability  as  a  scholar  made  him  equally  a 
favorite  with  his  teachers.  From  a  child, 
something  beyond  the  ordinary  seems  to 
have  been  expected  of  him,  both  intellec- 

199 


200  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

tually  and  morally.  He  was  wont  to 
say  sometimes  in  the  later  years  of  his  life, 
that  had  there  been  some  wise  friend  to 
direct  his  reading  and  study  in  those 
earlier  years,  he  might  perhaps  have  made 
his  mark  as  a  scholar ;  but  as  he  grew  to 
manhood  one  thinsf  and  another  occurred 
to  fDrevent  his  giving  his  time  to  study. 
He  went  to  Wisconsin,  where  some  of  the 
older  members  of  the  family  had  settled, 
and  where  for  a  time  he  assisted  his 
brother  in  farmwork  during  the  summer, 
and  tauorht  school   in  winter. 

While  there  the  War  of  the  Rebellion 
broke  out,  and  he,  with  an  older  brother,  en- 
listed. He  was  young,  and  his  family  and 
friends  felt  quite  unwilling  to  have  him  go  ; 
but  he  felt  that  his  country  needed  and 
called  him,  and  the  call  could  not  be  put 
aside.  His  brother  said  of  him  at  this 
time,  "  Robert  always  does  things  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  and  it  is  of  no  use  to  try  to 
turn  him  aside  if  he  feels  that  he  ouo-ht 
to  go."  His  service  as  a  soldier  was  not  a 
long  one,  but  it  came  near  costing  him  his 


ROBERT   W.    LOG  an:  20I 

life.  It  did,  indeed,  cost  him  the  vigor  of 
all  the  more  mature  years  of  his  manhood ; 
for  he  was  never  strono-  or  robust  after  his 
army  experience,  and  it  would  seem  that 
without  doubt  his  life  was  shortened  by  it. 

After  partially  regaining  his  health,  he 
souofht  to  oro  on  with  his  studies,  but  was 
again  prevented,  this  time  by  the  long  and 
painful  illness  of  a  maternal  uncle,  who 
called  him  to  his  bedside,  where  he  re- 
mained carinof  for  him  and  his  interests 
during  a  period  of  about  three  years. 

It  was  during  the  third  year  of  his  life 
with  his  uncle  that  he  was  led  to  take  a 
decided  stand  for  Christ,  and  to  identify 
himself  with  God's  people.  I  do  not  think 
this  new  step  made  any  great  change  in 
his  outward  life.  He  had  always  been 
faithful  and  conscientious  towards  all  the 
claims  which  he  had  recognized  ;  it  needed 
but  a  few  words  from  one  or  two  faithful 
friends  to  show  him  God's  claim  upon  him 
and  his  life,  and  he  at  once  recognized  that 
claim,  and  yielded  to  it  in  a  new  and  glad 
surrender. 


202  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

With  this  new  motive  in  his  Hfe,  there 
came  new  thoughts  and  plans.  God  had  a 
work  for  him  to  do,  and  he  had  to  prepare 
for  it.  He  was  now  twenty-three  years 
old.  He  regretted  that  he  had  not  heard 
the  call  sooner,  and  begun  his  work  of 
preparation  earlier,  that  it  might  have  been 
more  thorough  ;  but  he  wasted  no  time  in 
vain  reerets.  He  went  at  once  to  Oberlin, 
and  beean  his  work  as  a  student.  His 
life  in  Oberlin  brought  him  in  contact  with 
those  who  realized  to  him  his  ideals  of 
noble  Christian  manhood,  and  stimulated 
in  him  his  purpose  of  giving  his  life  for 
the  good  of  others. 

The  question  of  foreign  missionary  ser- 
vice was  not  brought  decidedly  before  him 
until  the  early  part  of  his  last  year  in  the 
seminary.  It  was  fully  decided  at  that 
time  ;  but  at  the  time  of  his  graduation  his 
health  seemed  so  broken  that  it  was  not 
thought  advisable  for  him  to  go  abroad. 
A  year  later  he  saw  in  the  Missionary 
Herald  an  urgent  plea  for  helpers  from 
the  veteran  missionary  Sturges  at  Ponape, 


ROBERT   W.   LOGAN.  203 

Micronesia.  He  was  much  improved  in 
health,  and  at  once  wrote  to  Secretary 
Clark  at  Boston,  saying,  "  Here  am  I  ; 
send  me." 

The  intervening  winter  was  a  busy  one. 
There  was  no  medical  missionary  in  the 
Micronesian  field  then,  and  it  was  thought 
advisable  that  Mr.  Logan  should  obtain 
some  practical  knowledge  of  medicine ;  so 
the  time  during  the  week  was  spent  in  one 
of  the  medical  schools  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
and  he  preached  on  Sundays.  The  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  medicine  which  he  ob- 
tained that  winter  was  of  immense  value 
for  his  own  family  and  the  families  of  his 
associates  as  well  as  for  what  he  was  able 
to  do  for  the  natives. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Fenn,  also  of  York,  Ohio,  May  4,  1870. 
Mrs.  Logan  was  well  trained  for  the  work, 
and  was  very  helpful  in  every  branch  of 
the  missionary  service,  especially  in  teach- 
ing and  translating.  She  shared  the  hard- 
ships and  perils  of  her  husband  like  a  true 
heroine,    and    continued    in    that    difficult 


204  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  isolated  field  several  years   after   Mr. 
Loean's  death. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Logan  landed  on  the  is- 
land of  Ponape  in  September,  1874,  after  a 
voyage  of  some  ten  weeks  from  Honolulu  ; 
a  voyage  which  was  something  of  prepara- 
tion for  those  which  came  later,  full  of 
stern  realities,  of  seasickness,  of  visions  of 
naked  savages,  and  of  a  home  among  them 
at  its  close. 

The  work  on  Ponape  at  that  time  was  in 
a  transition  period.  It  had  been  the  popu- 
lar thing,  both  among  chiefs  and  people, 
to  leave  the  old  form  of  religion,  and  to  put 
one's  self  on  a  footing  with  the  new.  Thus 
many  had  come  into  the  church  who  un- 
derstood little  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  new  life.  During  the  years  which  fol- 
lowed, there  was  the  painful  and  laborious 
sifting  process,  the  falling  away  of  those 
whose  hearts  had  not  been  really  touched  ; 
and  also  the  brighter  and  more  joyous,  if 
not  less  laborious,  work  of  aiding  to  build 
up  in  character  and  spiritual  strength 
those  who  were  really  of  the  kingdom. 


ROBERT   IV.   LOGAN.  205 

The  foreign  missionary  work  from  the 
island  of  Ponape  had  been  begun  by  Mr- 
Sturges  and  Mr.  Doane  in  1874.  by  taking 
to  the  Mordock  Islands,  three  hundred 
miles  west  of  Ponape,  three  men  and  their 
wives,  wlu)  had  received  some  training,  to 
commence  a  work  am.ong  a  people  speaking 
a  different  dialect,  who  had  never  yet  heard 
the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  story  of  the 
devotion  and  faith  and  skill  of  these  men 
and  women,  who  were  but  just  out  of 
heathenism  themselves,  and  the  wonderful 
way  in  which  God  used  them  to  make 
known  his  name  and  power,  is  no  new 
story  to-day  to  those  who  ha\'e  watched 
the  work  in   Micronesia. 

Mr.  Loean's  connection  with  this  work 
began  in  1878,  when  he  made  his  first  visit 
to  that  interesting  field  with  Mr.  Sturges. 
The  original  three  Ponape  families  had 
been  re-enforced  by  others,  and  the  work 
had  spread  to  other  islets  and  lagoons. 
Churches  had  been  built,  schools  were  in 
progress,  almost  the  entire  population  of 
somethine  more    than  five    thousand  had 


206  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

largely  put  away  their  heathen  customs,  and 
were  sitting  at  the  feet  of  their  teachers. 

These  teachers  had  reduced  the  lan- 
guage to  writing.  They  had  translated 
some  Christian  hymns  from  their  own 
Ponape  dialect  into  this  new  one,  and  also 
a  small  reading-book.  This  was  literally 
all  they  had  with  which  to  feed  the  multi- 
tude. 

There  was  a  mighty  work  to  be  done, 
and  it  had  to  be  done  quickly.  The  King's 
business  requires  haste.  These  famishing, 
hungry  ones  must  not  be  left  a  day  nor  an 
hour  longer  than  necessity  required,  lest 
they  turn  again  to  the  beggarly  elements 
of  heathenism  to  satisfy  their  soul-hun- 
ger ;  and  these  men  and  women  who  were 
showing  themselves  worthy  to  be  used  of 
God  must  have   tools  with  which  to  work. 

These  were  somethino-  of  the  thouofhts 
and  motives  which  moved  Mr.  Loaan  to 
ask  at  once  of  the  mission  at  Ponape  that 
he  be  designated  to  learn  the  Mortlock  lan- 
guage in  connection  with  his  regular  sta- 
tion work.     His  study  of  the  language  the 


ROBERT   IF.   LOG  A  A'.  20/ 

first  year  was  with  Mortlock  people  who 
had  come  to  Ponape  to  attend  school ;  but 
the  following  year  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Logan 
took  up  their  residence  temporarily  on  one 
of  the  Mortlock  Islands,  where  Mr.  Logan 
carried    on    his   work    of    translating    and 

bookmakinof. 

He  always  worked  easily  and  rapidly ; 
his  mind  was  quick  and  alert,  speedily  ar- 
rivano-  at  conclusions  which  others  reached 
only  after  a  much  longer  and  more  labori- 
ous process.  He  was  wont  to  say  of  his 
translation  of  the  New  Testament,  "There 
are  mistakes  ;  he  who  comes  after  me  will 
find  them,  I  know.  It  could  not  be  other- 
wise in  doing  my  work  so  entirely  without 
advice  and  counsel ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  from  the  original,  and  I  am 
sure  it  is  reasonably  correct." 

Nor  was  the  translating  his  only  work 
during  their  stay  at  the  Mortlock  Islands. 
The  touring  and  general  supervision  were 
important  and  helpful  factors  in  a  work 
which  had  received  so  little  direct  super- 
vision as  had  this  ;   and  it  would  be  diffi- 


208  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

cult  to  express  in  a  few  words  what  he  was 
to  those  native  teachers.  Quick  to  grasp 
the  situation  and  to  read  native  character, 
witli  a  large,  loving,  and  sympathetic  heart, 
he  was  at  once  to  them  elder  brother,  ad- 
viser, faithful  friend,  and  physician.  He 
wrought  with  them,  and  ever  stimulated 
them  to  do  their  best  work  for  the  Master. 
Perhaps  no  greater  test  of  their  faith 
and  Christian  fortitude  ever  came  to  these 
missionaries  than  while  on  this  desolate 
coral  island  at  this  period  they  awaited  the 
coming-  of  the  Morning  Star  which  had 
been  long  delayed.  Mr.  Logan  had  had 
a  sudden  and  severe  attack  of  hemor- 
rhage of  the  lungs,  and  seemed  to  be  rap- 
idly sinking.  Their  supply  of  food  was 
almost  exhausted ;  and  Mrs.  Logan,  un- 
able to  pfet  for  him  the  nourishment  he 
needed,  had  to  endure  that  most  painful  or- 
deal of  waiting  and  watching  in  utter  help- 
lessness. As  the  long,  hot  days  brought 
no  relief,  and  still  no  si^ns  of  the  Mornino- 
Star  appeared,  they  were  finally  obliged  to 
accept  the  kindly  offer  of  passage  on  a  little 


ROBERT   W.   LOGAN.  209 

trading-vessel  that  touched  at  the  island, 
and  conveyed  them  to  New  Zealand.  The 
kind-hearted  sailors  put  up  a  temporary 
awning  on  the  little  deck,  to  give  the 
suffering  missionary  some  protection  from 
the  tropical  sun,  and  shared  with  the 
stricken  family  their  coarse  fare.  But 
through  all  these  sufferings  and  privations 
there  were  no  murmurings  or  expressions 
of  bitterness  from  this  noble  man,  whose 
spirit  reminds  those  who  knew  him  well  of 
John  the  beloved  disciple. 

Returning  -to  America,  his  stay  of  two 
years  was  marked  by  two  important  events, 
—  the  printing  of  two  books  in  the  Mort- 
lock  laneuaee,  the  New  Testament  and  a 
book  of  Bible  history  ;  and  a  gradual  return 
to  a  measure  of  health  and  vigor,  so  that  it 
was  deemed  expedient  for  him  to  venture  up- 
on a  return  to  the  loved  work  in  Micronesia. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Logan  reached  the  Ruk 
lagoon  in  October,  1884,  after  a  weary  voy- 
age of  ten  weeks.  This  great  lagoon  lies 
four  hundred  miles  west  of  Ponape,  and  its 
fifteen  thousand  people  speak  the  same  Ian- 


210  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

guage  as  the  Mortlock  people.  The  work 
previously  commenced  in  the  Mortlock 
Islands  had  spread  on  to  the  westward,  un- 
til it  had  reached  Ruk  in  1880,  since  which 
time  an  intelligfent  and  faithful  native  mis- 
sionary  from  Ponape,  named  Moses,  had, 
with  several  associate  workers,  been  striv- 
ing to  bring  some  rays  of  light  into  the 
appalling  darkness  of  heathenism  which 
reiofned  there. 

The  Ruk  people,  though  speaking  es- 
sentially the  same  language  as  the  Mort- 
lock people,  and  evidently  of  the  same 
family,  were  far  more  fierce  and  blood- 
thirsty. They  had  had  little  intercourse 
with  the  outside  world,  for  navigators  and 
traders  were  afraid  of  them.  They  had 
little  regard  for  human  life,  none  for  the 
property  of  others,  and  lived  in  a  con- 
stant state  of  fear  and  warfare. 

Mr.  Loo^an  found  here  the  beorinnines 
of  a  real  work.  The  life  and  teachinors  of 
Moses  and  his  associates  had  been  such  as 
to  make  a  very  favorable  impression  upon 
the    people ;    and    there    was    on    several 


ROBERT   IV.   LOGAN.  211 

islands  of  the  laofoon  an  earnest  desire 
for  the  coming  of  more  missionaries  and  for 
the  spread  of  their  teachings.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Loofan  beoran  their  hfe  and  worlc 
among  them  under  comparatively  favor- 
able  circumstances  and  with  high   hopes. 

Those  who  have  had  no  experience  in 
such  a  life  can  form  little  idea  of  its  sur- 
roundino-s  or  its  isolation.  Shut  off  from 
the  outside  world,  and  hearing  from  it  very 
infrequently,  surrounded  by  these  de- 
graded, superstitious,  naked  people,  realiz- 
ing- aofain  and  ao-ain  how  entirelv  the  lives 
of  missionaries  were  in  their  hands,  yet 
feeling  that  they  were  indeed  brothers  and 
sisters  for  whom  Christ  died,  they  felt  that 
they  had  a  great  responsibility  as  well  as 
a  great  privilege. 

Mr.  Logan  realized  this  responsibility 
and  privilege  most  keenly,  and  these  three 
last  years  of  his  life  were  given  up  to  the 
work  with  an  utter  abandonment  of  self 
which  would  have  been  impossible  in  a  less 
intense  nature  than  his.  Morning  and 
evening  meetings,  school  and  church  work, 


212  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

going  about  by  boat  or  canoe  to  the  differ- 
ent islands  in  the  lagoon,  settling  quarrels, 
medical  work,  making  school-books,  were 
some  of  the  many  demands  upon  his  time 
and  strength  ;  and  added  to  all,  the  going 
out  of  the  heart  in  intense  sympathy  and 
love  to  these  who  were  in  so  great  dark- 
ness, and  the  ev^er-increasing  burden  of  the 
things  W'hich  must  be  done  in  laying  foun- 
dations for  the  fair  and  w^ondrous  structure 
of  Christianity.  During  those  three  short 
}^ears  he  came  to  wield  a  mighty  influence 
over  them  because  they  loved  him,  know- 
ing that  he  loved  them. 

Wise  economv,  indeed,  would  it  have 
been  for  the  churches  at  home  to  supple- 
ment the  years  and  the  strength  of  this 
wise  and  loving  worker  with  faithful,  ener- 
getic, and  efficient  helpers  ;  not  suffering 
him  to  be  crushed  beneath  the  heavy  load 
of  toil  and  care.  Well  had  it  been  for  the 
work  could  he  have  realized  that  his  frail, 
suffering  body  was  no  match  for  his  daunt- 
less spirit. 

He  entered  into  the  rest  of  God's  peo- 


KOTyERT   W.   LOG  A  AT.  213 

pie  Dec.  27,  1887.  As  he  lay  on  his 
dying  bed,  he  said  to  Mrs.  Logan,  "  You 
must  go  home  to  America,  and  tell  some 
of  the  young  and  earnest  workers  to  come 
and  take  up  this  work."  In  her  loneliness, 
grief,  and  agony  she  replied,  "  How  can  I 
ask  others  to  come  and  suffer  as  we  are 
sufferinor  now  ?  "  With  the  lieht  of  heaven 
in  his  face  he  answered,  "  It  is  God's  work, 
and  it  is  worth  all  it  costs."  O  Man  of 
Sorrows  !  his  Master  and  Saviour  and 
ours,  surely  this  was  the  thought  of  thy 
heart  when  thou  didst  hang  upon  the 
Cross,  "  It  is  my  Father's  work,  and  it  is 
worth  all  it  costs." 

The  Rev.  Frank  S.  Fitch,  D.D.,  of  Buf- 
falo, N.Y,,  a  classmate  in  Oberlin  College, 
gave  the  following  beautiful  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  the  Rev.  Robert  W.  Logan,  at 
the  meeting  of  the  American  Board  in 
Cleveland,  1888:  — 

"  I  only  bring  a  sprig  of  laurel  to  drop  on  the 
scarcely  closed  grave  of  one  who  was  not  only  my 
friend,  but  the  friend  of  many  in  Ohio  ;  and  I  am 
sure  that  it  is    meet  that   we  should  pause   for   a 


214  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

moment  in  the  midst  of  the  pressing  affairs  of  the 
present,  and  the  great  outreach  for  the  future,  to 
pay  this  tribute  of  respect  to  one  of  the  most 
honored  and  most  successful  of  our  modern  mis- 
sionaries. 

"  When  he  offered  himself  for  service  to  the  Board, 
the  only  suggestion  he  made  as  regards  his  place, 
was  that  he  might  be  sent  to  that  place  for  which  it 
was  most  difficult  to  find  any  one.  He  had,  as  his 
instructors  have  told  me,  given  evidence  of  far  more 
than  the  average  degree  of  intellectual  ability,  and 
might  have  filled  important  positions  at  home.  But 
there  was  in  him,  in  the  midst  of  a  very  quiet  and 
unassuming  manner,  a  quality  of  heroism  which  I 
myself  have  not  seen  equalled.  The  eight  thou- 
sand miles  of  distance,  the  isolation  of  those 
islands,  where  a  mail  is  received  but  once  in  six 
months,  the  most  utter  absence  of  such  food  as  that 
to  which  we  are  accustomed,  and  the  lack  of  all 
stimulus  from  neighboring  surroundings,  made  this 
field  difficult  enough,  certainly,  even  for  his  chival- 
ric  spirit.  And  yet  he  persisted  for  years  in  this 
work,  and  came  home  some  six  years  ago  so  en- 
tirely disabled  that  it  seemed  to  all  his  friends  that 
it  was  cruelty  to  allow  him  to  return.  And  yet  he 
felt  called  upon  to  return,  and  his  remaining  years 
were  years  full  of  remarkable  fruitage. 

He  was  a  very  gifted  missionary  in  the  direct 
work  of  the  missionary,  and  he  also  did  great  work 
as  a  translator.     Perhaps  his  greatest  power,  if  we 


ROBERT  W.   LOGAN.  215 

judge  him  by  his  intellectual  gifts,  was  the  gift 
which  he  exercised  in  the  control  of  those  who  were 
subordinate  to  him,  —  the  native  helpers  and  the 
native  chiefs.  He  was  able  to  quell  insurrection, 
and  bring  haughty  chiefs  to  obedience  ;  and  he  has 
therein  accomplished  a  work  which  we  shall  long 
remember.  All  who  have  had  relations  to  him  will 
be  made  the  richer  for  all  time  and  for  all  eternity 
by  the  influence  that  has  come  from  his  heroism, 
his  patience,  his  unfaltering  faith." 


XIV. 

WILLIAM  BUTLER. 

Missionary  to  liidia  and  Mexico. 
Born,   iSi8. 


WILLIAM   BUTLER. 


XIV. 

WILLIAM  BUTLER. 

It  was  the  happy  Christian  experience 
of  an  old  bhncl  harper  that  forged  the  first 
visible  link  in  the  chain  of  providences 
which  brought  William  Butler  from  a  life 
of  careless  ease  to  the  work  of  preaching 
the  gospel.  The  poor  sightless  musician 
doubtless  felt  that  he  could  do  very  little 
for  the  Master  he  loved,  —  naught  save  to 
testify  of  his  goodness ;  yet  God  honored 
his  quiet,  consistent  life  by  giving  him  thus 
a  share  in  the  work  of  bringing  the  world 
to  the  feet  of  Christ. 

William  Butler  was  born  in  Ireland  in 
1818.  Early  left  an  orphan,  he  was  for 
some  years  in  the  care  of  a  godly  great- 
grandmother,  who  used  to  induce  the 
little  lad  to  mount  a  chair  for  a  pulpit, 
and,  clad  in  an  improvised  surplice,  to  read 

219 


220  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  lessons  for  the  day  from  the  Church  of 
England  Prayer-book.  This  little  service 
was  a  ereat  comfort  to  the  venerable  old 
lady,  who  was  unable  longer  to  attend 
church.  In  his  early  manhood,  however, 
he  lived  without  any  serious  aim  in  life, 
until  the  question,  "  Do  you  pray?"  was 
put  to  him  by  a  gentle  lady,  an  entire 
stranger,  who  had  found  the  joy  in  believ- 
ing described  to  her  by  the  old  harper, 
and  who  was  eager  for  others  to  find  it 
also.  The  thoughtfulness  induced  by  this 
question  led  to  his  conversion,  and  dedica- 
tion to  the  Christian  ministry. 

Soon  after  graduating  from  Didsbury 
Theological  Seminary  in  England  he  came 
to  the  United  States,  where  he  joined  the 
New  Eneland  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  During  his  pastorates 
he  devoted  much  of  his  study  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  heathen  world,  preaching  mis- 
sionary sermons,  and  publishing  articles 
on  the  subject  in  the  church  periodicals. 
After  a  few  years  the  project  of  a  mission 
in  India  was  taken  up  by  the  missionary 


WILLIAM  BUTLER.  221 

Board  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  appeals  were  issued  to  the  ministry 
for  some  one  to  offer  himself  to  cro  and 
begin  the  work;  but  for  more  than  three 
years  no  one  fitted  for  the  position  was 
found.  Mr.  Butler  shared  the  anxiety  of 
the  secretaries  and  bishops  lest  the  enter- 
prise should  fail  for  want  of  a  suitable 
leader.  On  account  of  his  four  young 
children  he  hesitated  to  offer  himself;  but 
finally  his  sense  of  the  great  need  of  the 
people  of  India  led  him  to  consult  with 
the  authorities,  and  soon  he  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  new  mission.  His 
wife  bravely  seconded  him  in  his  deter- 
mination ;  and,  leaving  two  boys  at  school, 
they  sailed  for  India  in  1856. 

On  their  way  they  stopped  in  London  to 
confer  with  the  secretaries  of  the  different 
missionary  societies  as  to  the  most  desir- 
able field  for  the  Methodist  Church  to 
enter  where  no  other  agency  was  at  work. 
On  reaching  Calcutta,  the  same  inquiries 
were  made  as  to  the  most  needy  provinces  ; 
and  Oudh  and  Rohilcund,  in  the  Ganc^etic 


222  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

valley,  with  their  twenty  millions  of  souls, 
were  selected  as  the  field  of  the  new  mis- 
sion. The  people  were  intensely  hostile  to 
Christianity ;  and  the  feeling-  of  unrest  in 
the  native  army  culminated  in  the  dread- 
ful atrocities  of  the  Sepoy  Rebellion,  only 
ten  weeks  after  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Butler  had 
begun  their  work  in  Bareilly.  They  were 
compelled  to  fly  to  the  mountains,  where  at 
Naini  Tal  they  found  a  refuge  for  the  weary 
months  of  anxiety  and  danger.  Their  near- 
est missionary  neighbors,  of  the  Presby- 
terian mission,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Ganges,  who  had  fled  from  Futt)-ghur  for 
safety,  were  cruelly  massacred,  Dr.  Butler's 
home  was  burned,  and  a  gallows  erected  for 
him  in  the  public  square  at  Bareilly,  the 
rebel  leader  there  expressing  his  great  dis- 
appointment w^hen  he  found  that  the  mis- 
sionary had  escaped.  The  first  Eurasian 
assistant,  a  young  lady,  was  killed  ;  and  the 
native  preacher  Joel,  who,  with  his  wife, 
had  been  spared  by  the  Presbyterian  mis- 
sionaries to  aid  in  beginning  the  mission, 
escaped  only  after  enduring   many  perils. 


WILLIAM  BUTLER.  223 

The  church  at  home  believed  that  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Butler  had  perished,  as  no  tid- 
ings of  their  safety  could  reach  the  outside 
world  ;  and  an  obituary  was  published,  so 
certain  did  it  seem  that  they  had  suffered 
with  the  many  scores  of  Christian  people 
who  fell  in  that  terrible  uprising  of  Moslem 
hate  and  heathen  superstition.  Dr.  But- 
ler's first  and  only  experience  in  handling 
firearms  was  at  this  time,  when  he  and 
eighty-six  Englishmen  held  the  pass  up 
to  their  place  of  refuge  against  the  three 
thousand  Sepoys  who  were  sent  to  capture 
them.  The  history  of  this  trying  time  has 
been  graphically  told  by  Dr.  Butler  in  his 
"  Land  of  the  Veda," 

As  soon  as  peace  was  restored,  the  work 
was  beofun  ao^ain,  with  laro^e  re-enforce- 
ments  from  the  United  States.  The  prin- 
cipal towns  of  the  two  provinces  were 
supplied  with  foreign  missionaries,  and 
from  these  centres  the  work  was  pushed 
out  into  the  villaofes  round  about.  Earnest 
street  preaching,  the  distribution  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  hundreds  of  little  schools, 


224  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

were  the  methods  of  seed-sowing  which  in 
due  time  have  brought  forth  an  abundant 
harvest. 

From  the  first,  Dr.  Butler's  plan  for  the 
missions  was  to  avoid  controversy,  but 
to  preach  Christ  as  a  Saviour  for  all  who 
will  accept  him.  The  first  convert  from 
Mohammedanism  in  this  mission  was  won 
by  this  holding  up  of  the  cross  of  Christ 
to  the  view  of  sin-sick  souls.  He  was 
in  the  crowd  which  or^thered  around  the 
missionary  as  he  stood  and  preached  in  the 
bazaar,  and  told  in  simple  language  what 
God  had  done  for  him  in  foreivinor  his  sins 
for  Christ's  sake.  The  Mohammedan  was 
greatly  moved  ;  and,  seeking  the  missionary 
alone,  he  asked  him  if  he  had  really  ex- 
perienced this  relief  from  the  load  of  sin  of 
which  he  had  told  them  in  the  bazaar.  On 
being  assured  it  was  true,  he  sought  and 
found  the  same  pardon,  and  became  one  of 
the  most  successful  of  the  native  ministers. 

The  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Soci- 
ety came  to  aid  this  work  with  its  devoted 
agents    for   the    special    need   among   the 


WILLIAM  BUTLER.  225 

secluded  women  in  the  zenanas.  Their 
medical  work,  begun  by  Dr.  Clara  Swain 
in  1870,  the  first  woman  to  go  as  a  physi- 
cian to  the  women  of  the  East,  has  accom- 
plished wonders  in  breaking  down  the 
barriers  raised  against  Christianity.  The 
work  of  the  Methodist  Church  now  ex- 
tends all  over  India,  and  before  the  close 
of  its  forty  years  of  existence  counts  eighty 
thousand  members  who  have  been  brought 
to  Christ,  with  many  thousands  more 
under  its  instruction  and  influence. 

After  ten  years  of  service,  Dr.  Butler 
returned  to  the  United  States  in  broken 
health,  coming  by  sailing-vessel  around 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  during  the  closing 
days  of  our  Civil  War.  His  description  of 
their  anxiety  during  the  four  weary  months 
on  board  that  passed  without  any  news 
from  the  scene  of  conflict,  and  of  the 
tremendous  effect  of  the  statements  made 
by  the  pilot  as  he  came  on  board  off  the 
coast  of  England  and  announced  that  the 
war  was  over,  the  Union  saved,  and  that 
the  great  Lincoln  had  fallen,  is  not  one  of 


226  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  least  of  thrillincr  tales  that  Dr.  Butler 
relates  in  his  lectures. 

In  1870  he  was  appointed  secretary 
of  the  American  and  Foreien  Christian 
Union,  which  had  as  its  especial  object 
evangelical  work  in  the  Republic  of 
Mexico,  just  then  opening  to  Protestant 
influences.  This  continued  till  1873,  when 
some  of  the  churches  beean  to  feel  that 
more  could  be  done  through  separate 
missions  of  each  denomination  ;  and  Dr. 
Butler  was  asked  to  go  to  Mexico,  to  es- 
tablish the  work  there  as  he  had  done  in 
India.  Entering  the  republic  soon  after 
the  troublous  times  which  ended  the  so- 
called  Empire  of  Maximilian  of  Austria, 
he  found  religious  liberty  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  land,  though  it  was  as  yet  imper- 
fectly understood  by  the  masses.  Threats 
of  violence  were  frequently  made  by  the 
fanatical  part  of  the  population,  and  many 
times  the  missionaries'  lives  were  imper- 
illed ;  but  the  law  has  upheld  the  right 
of  religious  liberty,  and  only  one  foreigner 
has  lost  his  life,  though  many  of  the  Mexi- 


WILLIAM  BUTLER.  22/ 

cans  have  suffered  bitter  persecution  and 
death.  In  six  years  the  mission  was  firmly 
estabhshed  ;  and  Dr.  Buder  returned  home 
in  shattered  health,  but  soon  recovered 
sufficiently  to  go  up  and  down  throughout 
the  Methodist  Church,  urcrinor  the  claims 
of  the  missionary  work  with  an  eloquence 
and  enthusiasm  well  nigh  irresistible,  thus 
greatly  aiding  the  devoted  missionary  sec- 
retaries in  bringing  up  the  contributions 
of  the  churches  to  a  more  wnerous  fio-ure. 
It  is  a  very  unusual  thing  for  a  mission- 
ary to  be  given  the  privilege  of  seeing, 
after  many  days,  the  harvest  from  the  seed 
he  had  planted,  and  another  had  watered, 
and  to  which  God  had  given  a  wonderful  in- 
crease. That  joy  is  reserved  for  the  most 
of  the  servants  of  God  until  the  "  Well 
done  !  "  of  the  Master  opens  up  the  eternal 
bliss  of  heaven.  For  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Buder 
this  happy  experience  began  in  this  life, 
when  in  1883  they  went  back  to  India 
to  review  the  progress  of  the  work.  Land- 
ing in  Bombay,  they  were  welcomed  by 
large    congregations    of    native    Christian 


228  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

people ;  and  at  every  principal  station 
throug-hoiit  the  empire  loyal  greeting  was 
given  to  those  who  came  alone,  only  about 
thirty  years  before,  with  no  Christian  to 
stand  with  them  amidst  the  millions  of 
idolaters  and  followers  of  Islam.  Now 
they  were  received  by  thousands  of  native 
members,  who  sanof.  "  The  mornino-  lio-ht 
is  breaking,  the  darkness  disappears,"  as 
they  welcomed  "  the  Father  and  Mother 
of  the  Mission,"  with  a  rejoicing  that  was  a 
foretaste  of  the  joy  of  the  home-coming  in 
the  better  land.  Truly  the  little  one  had 
become  thousands,  and  darkness  and  su- 
perstition are  being  put  to  flight. 

Perhaps  the  most  affecting  sight  of  this 
happy  journey  was  at  Chandausi  camp- 
meeting,  where  Dr.  Butler  arrived  some- 
what unexpectedly  at  the  large  tent  where 
about  eieht  hundred  native  Christians  were 

<_> 

gathered  for  an  early  morning  service. 
Joel,  the  native  helper,  who  had  been  a 
faithful  minister  since  the  beg^inninpf  of  the 
mission,  was  leadinof  the  conorreo-ation  in 
prayer.     It  seemed  as  if  Dr.  Butler  could 


WILLI  AM  BUTLER.  229 

hardly  restrain  himself  until  the  petition 
was  finished,  when  he  stepped  forward  and 
placed  his  hands  on  the  shoulders  of  his 
beloved  fellow-laborer,  whose  now  sight- 
less eyes  could  not  look  upon  his  face,  but 
whose  heart  recoo-nized  the  lovinof  touch 
of  his  old  superintendent.  In  a  moment 
they  were  clasped  in  each  other's  arms, 
while  the  audience  rose  and  sanof,  as  the 
tears  rolled  down  their  cheeks  in  sympathy 
with  the  joy  they  beheld,  "  Praise  God 
from  whom  all  blessings  flow."  No  won- 
der  that  one  of  our  missionary  secretaries 
should  say,  "  I  would  rather  found  a  mis- 
sion than  an  empire  "  ! 

After  an  extended  tour  through  the  vari- 
ous  missions,  Dr.  Butler  returned  to  plead 
with  still  greater  fervor  for  this  blessed 
work.  His  account  of  the  wonderful  suc- 
cesses crowninor  the  efforts  to  evano-elize 
that  great  people  was  again  an  inspiration 
to  the  whole  Methodist  Church.  In  1887 
he  went  to  revisit  Mexico,  where  he  found 
the  work  equally  full  of  promise,  even  if 
not  yet  realizing  the    results    of  years  of 


230  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

labor  as  fully  as  the  older  and  larger  mis- 
sion of  India.  There  among  the  faithful 
workers  was  his  son,  one  of  the  lads  who 
had  been  so  reluctantly  left  behind  when 
he  first  went  to  India,  now  devoting  his 
life  to  the  redemption  of  Mexico.  Liberty 
of  opinion  had  gained  favor  among  the 
people  of  our  sister  republic  ;  and  the  idea 
of  a  heart  religion,  rather  than  a  mere 
change  of  form,  had  become  more  appar- 
ent to  the  converts.  The  noble  President 
of  Mexico,  General  Porfirio  Diaz,  has 
afforded  every  protection  to  Protestant 
work  that  the  constitution  provides ;  and 
peace  throughout  the  land  has  given 
opportunity  for  preaching  the  gospel  to 
the  thousands  who  eagerly  hear.  In  the 
volume,  "  Mexico  in  Transition,"  written 
since  this  visit.  Dr.  Butler  traces  the  hand 
of  God  workine  in  the  marvellous  events 
of  the  history  of  Mexico  that  have  brought 
the  republic  to  its  present  state  of  free- 
dom and  prosperity. 

This  "  veteran  missionary  of   two    con- 
tinents"   is    passing  his  declining  days  in 


WILLIAM  BUTLER.  23  I 

Newton  Centre,  Mass.,  and  though  in  very 
feeble  health,  finds  great  joy  in  read- 
ino-  the  reports  which  reach  him  weekly 
of  the  orjorious  victories  in  the  fields  which 
lie  so  near  his  heart.  By  his  pen  he  still 
pleads  for  the  missions  of  the  church,  his 
latest  effort  being  to  secure  chapels  for  the 
village  Christians  in  India.  He  is  no  pes- 
simist, but  glows  with  enthusiasm  as  he  re- 
counts what  God  has  wrought  during  the 
present  century  of  missionary  effort,  and  of 
the  manifold  agencies  of  good  now  being 
exerted  by  all  branches  of  the  Christian 
church.  He  says  that  God  has  fulfilled 
his  promise  of  the  "hundred-fold  in  this 
life,"  and  he  doubts  not  of  the  fulfilment 
of  glorious  promise  of  life  eternal. 


XV. 

ADONIRAM  JUDSON. 

Missionary  to  Burmah. 
Born  Aug.  9,  178S;  Died  Apru,  12,  1S50. 


ADONIRAM  JUDSON. 


XV. 

ADONIRAM  JUDSON. 

As  Carey  was  the  father  of  modern  mis- 
sions, Judson  was  the  father  of  American 
missions.  The  thought  was  no  doubt  in 
many  minds,  and  in  that  circle  of  young 
men  from  which  sprung  the  American 
Board,  each  no  doubt  owed  much  to  the 
others  ;  but  partly  from  his  own  strong 
gifts  of  body,  mind,  and  downright  moral 
consistency,  Judson  was  the  first  to  carry 
out  in  actual  missionary  life  what  to  others 
was  a  plan,  a  hope,  a  prayer. 

Born  Aug.  9,  1788,  eldest  son  of  the 
Conereeational  minister  at  Maiden,  Mass., 
he  could  read  when  three  years  old,  was 
acute  with  figures  when  ten,  and,  proud 
and  ambitious,  entered  Brown  University, 
where  at  nineteen  he  graduated  first  in 
his  class.      His    college   course    won  only 

235 


236  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

praise ;  but  his  brightness  brought  him 
under  the  influence  of  a  sceptical  college 
friend,  and  he  came  home  to  declare  him- 
self to  his  father,  with  characteristic  down- 
riehtness,  an  infidel.  His  father  was  then 
minister  at  Plymouth;  and  there  the  son 
taught  school  for  a  year,  at  this  time  pub- 
lishine  a  school  crrammar  and  an  arithme- 
tic.  He  had  some  thoughts  of  dramatic 
writine,  and  made  a  tour  of  travel  as  far  as 
New  York,  for  a  time  travelling  with  a 
theatrical  company. 

Returning  to  Sheffield,  Mass.,  where  his 
uncle  was  minister,  he  arranged  for  a 
farther  journey  westward  ;  but  was  much 
impressed  by  a  young  minister  who 
preached  there  by  exchange  ;  and  next 
day,  setting  out,  took  lodging  at  a  country 
inn,  where  a  young  man  lay  very  ill  in 
the  adjoining  room.  Judson  was  resdess, 
thinkine  of  this  man,  sick  and  away  from 
home  ;  and  next  morning  learned  with  deep 
feeling  that  he  had  died  ;  and,  hearing  his 
name,  was  overwhelmed  to  find  that  it  was 
his  sceptical  college  friend.    His  scheme  of 


A DONIRA M  JUDSOIV.  237 

travel  seemed  now  impossible  ;  his  infidel 
theories  melted  away  ;  and  he  turned  his 
horse's  head  toward  Plymouth,  and  next 
month  entered  an  advanced  class  at  An- 
dover  Theological  Seminary.  He  joined 
his  father's  church  in  Plymouth  the  next 
May. 

In  the  seminary  he  read  Buchanan's 
"  Star  in  the  East,"  and  Syme's  "  Empire 
of  Ava,"  and  became  associated  with 
Samuel  Nott,  and  Samuel  J.  Mills,  Gordon 
Hall,  and  others  of  the  Williams  College 
"  Haystack  "  company  ;  and  though  offered 
a  tutorship  at  Brown  University,  and  an 
associate  pastorate  with  Dr.  Griffin  in 
Boston,  he  devoted  himself  to  foreign  mis- 
sionary work. 

He  had  already  written  to  the  London 
Missionary  Society  ;  and,  after  consultation 
with  the  teachers  and  ministers  near  An- 
dover,  he  joined  his  fellow-students  in  a 
letter  to  the  Massachusetts  General  Asso- 
ciation of  Conereeational  Churches,  which 
met  at  Bradford,  June  29,  18 10,  asking 
advice  and  help  towards  missionary  service. 


238  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

This   letter  was  signed  by   Judson,    Nott, 
Mills,  and  Samuel  Newell. 

There  had  been  in  existence  since  1799 
the  Massachusetts  Missionary  Society,  or- 
ganized to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  Indians, 
and  to  cultivate  the  missionary  spirit  ;  but 
the  General  Association  now  organized  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  commended  the 
young  men  to  its  direction. 

Judson  was  first  sent  to  London  to  ask 
the  co-operation  of  the  London  Society. 
His  ship  was  captured  by  a  French  priva- 
teer, and  he  was  imprisoned  on  ship  and 
in  France;  but  escaped  to  London,  where 
he  was  cordially  received ;  but  later  it  was 
thought  best  to  send  him  abroad  without 
English  assistance.  He  was  married  Feb. 
5,  18 1 2,  to  Miss  Ann  Hasseltine,  daugh- 
ter of  the  minister  at  Bradford  ;  Feb. 
6  he  was  ordained,  and  on  Feb.  19  he 
sailed  with  his  bride  from  Salem  for  Cal- 
cutta. 

On  the  long  voyage  he  became  convinced 
that   the   Baptist   doctrine    was    in    agree- 


ADO.V/RA.I/  JUDSOM.  239 

ment  with  the  Scripture  ;  and  after  reach- 
ing Calcutta  he  apphed  to  the  EngHsh 
Baptist  missionaries  at  Serampore,  and, 
with  his  wife,  was  immersed,  and  resigned 
his  connection  with  the  American  Board. 
The  East  India  Company  presently 
ordered  him  and  his  fellow  American  mis- 
sionaries to  return  home,  subsequently 
allowing  them  to  go  to  Mauritius,  There 
Mrs.  Newell  died  ;  and  Mr.  Rice,  who  had 
also  become  a  Baptist,  went  to  America 
to  urge  the  organizing  of  a  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society.  Judson  and  his  wife,  after 
four  months  in  Mauritius,  largely  spent  in 
mission-work  with  English  soldiers,  sailed 
for  Madras,  hoping  to  establish  a  mission 
at  Pulo-Penang,  in  the  Strait  of  Malacca. 
But  the  only  ship  sailing  in  that  direction 
took  them  to  Rangoon  in  Burmah,  beyond 
the  protection  of  the  British  flag,  where 
they  arrived  July  13,  18 13.  There  a  son 
of  Dr.  Carey  had  occupied  the  English 
Baptist  mission-house  ;  but  he  was  absent, 
and  soon  afterwards  resio-ned  the  mission 
in  their  favor. 


240  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Burmah  was  then  an  independent  em- 
pire, with  a  population  of  about  eight 
milHons  ;  the  government  an  absohite 
despotism,  arbitrary  and  most  cruel  ;  the 
religion  Buddhism.  Rangoon,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Irrawaddy,  is  the  natural 
depot  of  much  of  Central  Asia,  and  was 
a  strategic  centre  for  Christian  missions. 
It  was  then  a  dirty  town  of  about  ten 
thousand  inhabitants,  intersected  by  muddy 
inlets,  which  filled  at  high  tide.  Here 
Judson  began  his  permanent  work. 

Two  languages  were  to  learn  —  the  com- 
mon Burmese,  and  the  sacred  Pali.  The 
younger  Carey  had  not  preached,  but  had 
partly  made  a  grammar  and  dictionary  ; 
and  Judson  at  once  began  his  translation 
of  the  Bible,  which  he  finished  in  1834. 

In  181 5  Mrs.  Judson  had  to  go  to  Ma- 
dras for  medical  advice.  That  year  their 
first  child  was  born,  a  little  boy  who  died 
in  infancy.  In  18 16  Judson  seemed  break- 
ing down,  and  hurriedly  collected  the  notes 
he  had  made  for  a  Burman  o-rammar.  It 
was    published     twenty    years     later,    and 


ADONIRAM  JUDSON.  24 1 

greatly  praised  for  comprehensive  and 
concise  accuracy.  Partially  recovering,  he 
imported  a  printing-press  from  Serampore 
and  a  printer  from  America,  and  published 
his  *'  View  of  the  Christian  Reliofion,"  the 
first  of  a  series  of  tracts  that  had  a  strong 
influence  with  that  thoughtful  and  readinof 
people.  Mrs.  Judson  also  published  a 
catechism. 

These  publications  were  followed  by  the 
appearance  of  Inquirers,  the  first  one  com- 
ing March  7,  181 7,  and  marking  an  epoch 
in  the  work. 

With  a  deepened  sense  of  the  need  of 
evangelistic  work,  Judson  now  went  to 
Chittaofono-  to  find  some  native  Christian 
who  could  preach  and  teach  in  Burmese. 
He  was  unexpectedly  detained  there  seven 
months,  during  which  his  wife,  with  some 
missionary  helpers  who  had  joined  them, 
maintained  the  work  under  vexatious  per- 
secutions, displaying  great  endurance  and 
wonderful  skill  and  diplomacy  with  the 
native  authorities  ;  and  later  going  through 
the  trials  of  an  epidemic  of  cholera.     On 


242  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

his  return  Judsoii  built  an  open  zayat,  a 
shed  of  bamboo,  for  pubhc  evangeHzation, 
with  a  room  for  assembhes  of  worship,  and 
another,  opening  on  the  garden,  for  wo- 
men's classes.  The  zayat  was  on  a  main 
public  thoroughfare,  under  the  shadow  of 
the  chief  pagoda.  Here  he  conversed  with 
men  of  different  classes,  some  of  profound 
Oriental  learning,  and  saw  how  the  scepti- 
cism of  European  philosophy  has  been  an- 
ticipated in  the  subtler  scepticisms  of  India, 
which  have  undermined  Oriental  faith,  and 
^made  preparation  for  a  faith  more  rational. 

The  first  regular  service  was  held  In  the 
zayat  April  4,  18 19,  Judson  having  been  in 
Rangoon  nearly  six  years,  and  then  first 
venturing  to  preach  in  the  native  tongue. 
The  27th  of  the  following  June  he  baptized 
his  first  Burman  convert,  Moung  Nau. 

In  November  there  were  rumors  of  perse- 
cutions, and  public  services  were  suspended 
for  several  Sundays,  and  two  new  converts 
were  baptized  privately  ;  and  greater  inter- 
est brineinof  new  threats  from  the  authori- 
ties,  Judson  went  to  Ava,  the  capital,  to  lay 


ADOKIRAM  JUDSON.  243 

the  matter  before  the  king.  The  journey 
and  return  consumed  over  two  months, 
and  seemed  rather  to  produce  more  expHcit 
threats;  and  Judson  resolved  to  remove  to 
Chittaeone,  under  British  rule. 

But  now  the  little  circle  of  converts  awoke 
to  independent  life  and  courage.  They 
could  not  bear  to  be  scattered,  but  becjored 
that,  if  the  missionaries  must  go,  it  would 
not  be  till  their  membership  was  increased 
to  ten,  and  they  organized  under  some 
leader  to  hold  them  together  and  help  their 
Christian  life.  Departure  was  therefore 
postponed  ;  and  ten  months  later  the  tenth 
convert  and  first  woman  was  received  into 
the  church.  This  was  on  the  eve  of  Jud- 
son's  sailintr  to  Calcutta  with  his  wife 
because  of  her  ill  heath  ;  and  through  this 
absence  the  little  church  stood  steadfast 
even  under  persecution. 

Then  the  persecution  ceased.  A  girls' 
school  was  opened  ;  and  the  work  took  so 
interesting  a  form  that,  though  Mrs.  Jud- 
son's  health  compelled  her  to  go  to  Amer- 
ica, her  husband  remained  at  Rangoon. 


244  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

He  was  now  joined  by  Dr.  Price,  a  med- 
ical missionary,  whose  remarkable  success, 
especially  in  operations  for  cataract,  led  to 
his  being  summoned  to  Ava,  to  the  king ; 
and  here  Judson  thought  it  best  to  accom- 
pany him. 

This  movement  brouofht  the  whole  mis- 
sionary  work  at  once  under  favorable  no- 
tice of  the  court.  There  was  no  more  talk 
of  persecution,  but  apparently  the  largest 
opening  for  greatly  enlarged  work,  Jud- 
son came  into  the  presence  of  the  king, 
and  received  the  royal  invitation  to  transfer 
his  work  from  Rangoon  to  the  capital ;  and 
after  Mrs.  Judson's  return  from  America 
with  improved  health,  and  with  re-enforce- 
ments for  Rangoon,  they  removed  to  Ava, 
arriving  there  in  January,  1824. 

The  court  favor  at  Ava,  however,  was 
clouded  over  by  a  change  of  ministers, 
almost  before  their  actual  arrival.  Many 
postponements  and  hindrances  impeded 
their  work,  in  spite  of  the  favor  held  by 
Dr.  Price's  medical  reputation  ;  and  in  a 
few  months  the  outbreak  of  war  between 


ADONIRAM  JUDSON.  245 

Burmah  and  I^ngland  threw  the  mission 
into  confusion  and  dismay.  There  was  a 
general  suspicion  of  all  persons  of  English 
speech;  and  ere  long  Judson,  Dr.  Price, 
and  five  others  were  arrested  and  thrown 
into  prison. 

This  imprisonment  lasted  for  eleven 
months  in  the  "death-prison"  at  Ava, 
and  afterwards  for  six  months  in  the  coun- 
try prison  of  Oung-peu-la.  Mrs.  Judson 
was  not  arrested,  thouorh  her  house  was 
searched  and  all  valuable  property  confis- 
cated. She  made  almost  daily  visits  to  the 
prison,  though  often  refused  admittance, 
and  also  to  the  palace,  maintaining  the 
respect  and  friendship  of  some  of  the 
court,  and  was  able  to  carry  her  husband 
food  and  clothing,  and  after  some  months 
to  build  him  a  little  bamboo  shed  in  the 
prison  yard,  where  he  could  sometimes  be 
by  himself,  and  where  at  times  she  was 
allowed  to  be  with  him.  In  January,  1825, 
a  little  daughter  was  born  to  her ;  and  a 
few  months  later  she  went  throueh  an 
epidemic  of  small-pox. 


246  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

The  horrors  of  Judson's  imprisonment 
can  only  be  imagined  ;  crowded  into  nar- 
row quarters  with  over  a  hundred  common 
criminals,  loaded  with  fetters,  at  first  three 
pairs  of  fetters,  afterwards  five  pairs,  with 
no  conveniences  for  cleanliness  or  even 
decency.  After  eleven  months  the  cap- 
tives were  suddenly  removed  from  the  city 
prison,  and  with  agonizingly  painful  march- 
ing taken  to  the  country  prison  of  Oung- 
peu-la.  There,  after  days  of  weariness  and 
pain,  at  night,  for  security,  a  bamboo  pole 
was  passed  between  the  fettered  ankles  of 
a  string  of  prisoners,  and  then  hoisted  by 
ropes  till  their  shoulders  only  rested  on  the 
floor.  Daily  and  nightly  torture,  racking 
fever,  half  starvation,  and  daily  anticipation 
of  death,  marked  these  terrible  months. 

But  the  success  of  the  British  arms  at 
length  compelled  the  king  to  send  Judson 
and  Dr.  Price  as  interpreting  envoys  to 
negotiate  peace  ;  and  the  British  comman- 
der made  his  first  absolute  demand  the 
release  of  the  missionaries,  and  the  Judsons 
returned  to  Rangoon.      During  his  impris- 


ADOAURAM  JUDSOX.  247 

onment  his  unfinished  manuscript  transla- 
tion of  the  Bible  was  hid  by  his  wife  in  a 
cotton  pillow  on  which  he  slept.  This  was 
thrown  aside  as  worthless  when  his  prison 
was  changed,  but  was  found  and  saved  by 
a  native  convert. 

The  Rangoon  church  being  scattered,  a 
new  mission  was  begun  at  Amherst  on 
British  territory,  but  later  removed  to 
Maulmain,  a  more  important  centre.  This 
greatly  prospered,  though  they  had  no  more 
their  youthful  strength;  and  during  Judson's 
absence  at  Ava,  attempting  to  secure  reli- 
gious toleration,  his  wife  died  of  a  fever, 
and  he  returned  soon  to  lay  their  little  child 
by  her  side. 

With  broken  heart  and  health  he  became 
almost  wildly  ascetic  ;  living  much  alone, 
fasting  and  praying  whole  days  in  the 
woods.  He  relinquished  part  of  his  slen- 
der missionary  pay,  and  made  over  to  the 
Board  about  six  thousand  dollars,  includ- 
ing presents  and  fees  from  the  British 
government  for  treaty-negotiation  service, 
and   some    private    means    brought   origi- 


248  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

nally  from  home.  In  1830  he  again  at- 
tempted to  penetrate  Biirmali,  Hving  six 
months  at  Prome,  half-way  between  Ran- 
goon and  Ava,  l3iit  was  driven  back  by 
Biirman  intrigues.  He  then  began  a  work 
among  the  wild  Karens  of  the  jungle,  and 
with  great  success. 

In  1834  '^6  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Board- 
man,  widow  of  a  fellow  missionary.  He 
completed  his  Bible,  pronounced  by  Dr. 
Wayland  the  best  translation  in  India,  and 
by  Orientalists  "  a  perfect  literary  work." 

In  1845  l^is  health  and  his  wife's  was 
so  broken  that  they  sailed  for  Mauritius, 
and  from  there  for  America;  but  she  died 
Sept.  I,  while  in  port  at  St.  Helena.  Jud- 
son,  with  three  children,  reached  Boston  on 
Oct.  15. 

He  was  in  America  till  July,  1846,  and, 
before  re-embarking  for  India,  was  married 
to  Miss  Emily  Chubbuck,  who  was  known 
as  a  writer  under  the  name  of  F'anny 
Forester. 

His  last  years,  1 846-1 850,  were  spent 
in    another    earnest   but    unsuccessful    at- 


ADONTRAM  JUDSON.  249 

tempt  to  break  through  Rurman  bigotry, 
in  the  continuation  of  his  Burman  dic- 
tionary and  other  hterary  work,  and  in 
the  forwarding  of  the  general  missionary 
enterprise. 

Towards  the  end  of  1849  his  health 
declined  alarmingly.  His  sixty  years  had 
contained  more  wear  and  strain  than  come 
to  many  a  long  life.  The  "  keen  sword 
had  worn  out  the  scabbard,"  In  the  spring 
of  1850  it  was  hoped  that  a  sea  voyage 
might  help  him  ;  and  he  was  carried  on 
shipboard  April  8,  but  died  April  12,  and 
was  buried  at  sea. 

The  late  Rev.  A.  J.  Gordon,  D.D.,  in 
writing  of  the  illustrious  missionary  whose 
name  he  bears,  says  :  "  Park  Street  Church 
in  Boston,  whose  call  the  Spirit  constrained 
Judson  to  decline  seventy-five  years  ago, 
is  still  a  large  body,  numbering  perhaps 
a  thousand  members  ;  but  the  church  in 
Burmah,  which  that  same  Spirit  led  Judson 
to  found,  numbers  to-day  thirty  thousand 
communicants,  with  a  great  company  be- 
side who  have  fallen  asleep," 


XVI. 

JOHN  G.   PA  TON. 

Missionary  to  the  New  Hebrides. 
Born  May  24,  1824. 


JOHN   G.   PATON. 


XVI. 

JOHN  G.  PATON. 

John  Gibson  Paton  was  born  May  24, 
1824,  near  Dumfries,  in  the  south  of  Scot- 
land. His  father  was  a  stocking-maker ; 
and  although  his  family  was  little  blessed 
in  this  world's  goods,  it  was  devoutly  reli- 
gious. When  )-oung  John  had  reached  his 
fifth  year,  the  family  movgid  to  a  new  home 
in  the  ancient  villao-e  of  Torthorwald. 

Their  new  home  was  of  the  usual 
thatched  cottage,  plainly  but  substantially 
built.  It  was  one-story,  and  was  divided 
into  three  rooms.  One  end  room  served 
as  the  living-room  of  the  family,  the  other 
as  a  shop,  and  the  middle  one  was  the 
family  sanctuary.  To  the  sanctuary  the 
father  retired  after  each  meal  to  offer  up 
prayer  in  behalf  of  his  family.  Paton  him- 
self says  :   "  We  occasionally  heard  the  pa- 

253 


254  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

thetic  echoes  of  a  trembling  voice,  pleading 
as  if  for  life  ;  and  \ve  learned  to  slip  out  and 
in  past  that  door  on  tiptoe,  not  to  disturb 
that  holy  colloquy."  Is  it  strange  that  from 
this  family  there  should  come  three  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  ? 

In  early  boyhood  John  was  sent  to  the 
parish  school,  presided  over  by  a  man 
named  Smith,  who,  although  of  high  schol- 
arship, was  often  unreasonable  when  in  a 
rage.  At  one  time  his  temper  got  the 
best  of  him,  and  he  unjustly  punished 
Paton,  who  ran  home.  Returnino-  at  his 
mother's  entreaty,  he  was  again  abused, 
and  left  the  school  never  to  return.  He 
now  began  to  learn  his  father's  trade,  mak- 
ing an  effort  at  the  same  time  to  keep  up 
his  studies.  The  work  was  hard,  and  he 
toiled  from  six  in  the  mornin^  until  ten  at 
niofht.  At  this  time  he  learned  much  in  a 
mechanical  line  which  was  of  use  to  him 
later  in  the  missionary  field.  He  saved 
enough  money  from  his  wages  to  enable 
him  to  attend  Dumfries  Academy  for  six 
weeks.     As  a  result  of  his  earnest  endeavor 


JOHN  G.    PA  TON.  255 

to  keep  up  his  studies  since  leaving  the 
parish  school,  he  was  able  now  as  a  young 
man  to  obtain  a  position  as  district  visitor 
and  tract  distributer  of  the  West  Campbell 
Street  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Glasgow,  with  the  privilege  of  attending 
the  Free  Church  Normal  Seminary.  There 
were  two  applicants  for  the  position ;  and  as 
the  trustees  could  not  decide  between  them, 
they  offered  to  let  them  work  together  and 
divide  the  salary,  which  was  ^50  a  year. 

Paton's  health  failed  him,  and  he  returned 
home.  After  recovering  fully  he  returned 
to  Glasgow,  where  he  had  a  hard  struggle 
with  poverty.  At  one  time,  having  no 
money,  he  secured  a  place  as  teacher  of 
the  Mary  Hill  Free  School.  This  school 
had  a  bad  reputation,  many  teachers  hav- 
inor  been  forced  to  leave  it  because  of 
trouble  with  the  scholars.  Paton  managed 
by  force  of  kindness  to  make  friends  of  all 
the  pupils  ;  and  when  he  finally  left,  the 
school  was  in  a  more  prosperous  condition 
than  it  had  ever  been  before. 

After  leaving  the  school,  he  took  a  posi- 


256  GREA  T  MISS  ION  A  RIES. 

tion  as  a  worker  in  the  Glasgow  city  mis- 
sion. In  this  work  he  was  remarkably 
successful.  For  ten  years  he  was  engaged 
in  these  labors,  keeping  up  the  study  of 
theology  all  the  time.  Then,  hearing  that 
a  helper  was  wanted  to  join  the  Rev.  John 
Inglis  in  the  New  Hebrides,  he  offered  him- 
self and  was  accepted.  This  step  was  dis- 
tasteful to  many,  who  insisted  that  there 
were  heathen  enough  at  home  ;  but,  as  Pa- 
ton  says,  those  who  spoke  thus  invariably 
neglected  the  home  heathen  themselves. 
On  the  i6th  of  April,  1858,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Paton  set  sail  from  Scotland  in  the  Clutha 
for  New  Hebrides. 

They  stopped  a  few  days  at  Melbourne, 
and  from  there  sailed  for  Aneityum,  the 
most  southern  of  the  New  Hebrides.  In 
twelve  days  they  arrived  off  Aneityum ;  but 
the  captain,  a  profane  and  hard-hearted 
man,  refused  to  land  them,  and  the  landing 
was  made  with  great  difficulty,  with  the 
help  of  Dr.  Geddie,  in  mission  boats. 
They  decided  to  settle  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  Tanna,  a  small  island  a  few  miles  north 


JOinV  G.   PA  TON.  257 

of  Aneityum,  which  was  inhabited  by  fero- 
cious savages.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mathieson, 
co-laborers  with  them,  settled  on  the  north- 
western shore  of  the  same  island. 

The  natives  on  Tanna  were  sunk  to  the 
lowest  depths  of  heathenism,  going  about 
with  no  covering  save  an  apron  and  paint 
—  having  no  ideas  of  right  or  wrong,  wor- 
shipping and  fearing  numerous  gods,  liv- 
ing in  a  continual  dread  of  evil  spirits, 
constantly  fighting  among  themselves,  and 
always  eating  the  bodies  of  the  slain  —  such 
were  the  creatures  whom  Paton  and  his 
wife  hoped  to  bring  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
gospel. 

They  landed  on  Tanna  the  5th  of  No- 
vember, 1858.  On  the  15th  of  February, 
1859,  a  child  was  born  to  them.  Mrs. 
Paton's  health  from  this  time  on  was  very 
feeble,  and  on  March  3d  she  died  of  a 
sudden  attack  of  pneumonia.  Unaided 
and  alone,  the  bereaved  husband  buried 
his  beloved  wife.  Over  her  body  he  placed 
a  mound  of  stones,  making  it  as  attractive 
as  he  could,  and  then  with  a  heavy  heart 


258  GREA  T  MISSION  A  RIES. 

turned  to  his  work.  Soon  after  the  child, 
a  boy,  followed  the  mother.  These  two 
sorrows  came  as  a  terrible  blow  to  Paton, 
and  for  some  time  he  was  prostrated.  He 
rallied,  however,  and  began  to  work  hard 
and  steadily  to  enlighten  those  poor  sav- 
ages, who  upon  every  occasion  robbed  and 
abused  him. 

Mr.  Paton,  writing  of  this  period,  says: 
"  On  beholding  these  natives  in  their  paint 
and  nakedness  and  misery,  my  heart  was 
as  full  of  horror  as  of  pity.  Had  I  given 
up  my  much-beloved  work  and  my  dear 
people  in  Glasgow,  with  so  many  delight- 
ful associates,  to  consecrate  my  life  to  these 
degraded  creatures?  Was  it  possible  to 
teach  them  right  and  wrong,  to  Christianize 
or  even  to  civilize  them  ?  But  that  was 
only  a  passing  feeling.  I  soon  got  as 
deeply  interested  in  them,  and  all  that 
tended  to  advance  them,  and  to  lead  them 
to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus,  as  ever  I  had 
been  in  my  work  in  Glasgow." 

The  greatest  opposition  to  his  work  was 
occasioned  by  the  godless  traders  on  the 


JOHN  G.    PATOiV.  259 

island,  who  caused  more  trouble  than  did 
the  natives  themselves.  These  traders  did 
not  relish  the  idea  of  the  natives  beine 
taught  the  gospel,  for  they  feared  to  lose 
their  influence  over  them.  They  incited 
the  different  tribes  to  fio-ht  with  each  other, 
and  then  sold  arms  to  the  contestants. 
They  stirred  up  bad  feeling  against  the 
missionaries,  and  urged  the  natives  to 
either  kill  or  drive  them  away. 

From  the  time  he  landed  until  he  left 
Tanna,  Paton  was  in  continual  danger  of 
losing  his  life.  Again  and  again  armed 
bands  came  to  his  house  at  nieht  to  kill 
him.  He  himself  said  that  he  knew  of 
fifty  times  when  his  life  was  in  imminent 
danger,  and  his  escape  was  due  solely  to 
the  grace  of  God.  Only  once  did  he  re- 
sort to  force,  or  rather  the  appearance  of 
force.  A  cannibal  entered  his  house,  and 
would  have  killed  him,  had  he  not  raised 
an  empty  pistol,  at  sight  of  which  the  cow- 
ardly fellow  fled. 

The  feeling  toward  him  became  so  hos- 
tile that  he  was  obliged  at  last  to  leave  his 


260  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

house,  and  take  refuge  in  the  village  of  a 
friendly  chief  named  Nowar.  Here  he 
prepared  to  leave  that  part  of  the  island, 
and  sail  around  to  Mr,  Mathieson's  station. 
He  secured  a  canoe,  but  when  he  went  to 
launch  it  he  found  there  were  no  paddles. 
After  he  had  managed  to  get  these,  the 
chief  Arkurat  refused  to  let  him  go.  Hav- 
ing prevailed  upon  the  vacillating  savage 
to  consent,  he  finally  sailed  away  with  his 
three  native  helpers  and  a  boy.  The  wind 
and  waves,  however,  forced  them  to  put 
back,  and  after  five  hours  of  hard  rowing 
they  returned  to  the  spot  they  had  left. 
The  only  way  left  now  was  to  walk  over- 
land. He  got  a  friendly  native  to  show 
him  the  path,  and  after  escaping  death 
most  miraculously  on  the  way,  arrived  at 
Mr.  Mathieson's.  Here  they  were  still 
persecuted.  At  one  time  the  mission 
buildings  were  fired,  but  a  tornado  which 
suddenly  came  up  extinguished  the  fiames. 
On  the  day  following,  the  ship  which  had 
been  sent  to  rescue  them  arrived  and  they 
embarked.     Thus   Paton  had   to  abandon 


JOHN:  G.  PA  ton:  261 

his  work  on  Tanna,  after  toiling  there  over 
three  years. 

For  a  time  he  sought  needed  rest  and 
change  in  Austraha,  where  he  presented 
the  cause  of  missions  to  the  churches. 
On  many  occasions  he  came  into  contact 
with  the  aborigines  of  that  continent,  and 
on  every  occasion  his  love  for  missionary 
work  was  exhibited.  At  one  time,  when 
a  crowd  of  savages  crazed  with  rum 
were  fighting  among  themselves,  he  went 
among  them,  and  by  his  quiet  and  persist- 
ent coaxino-,  manao-ed  to  eet  them  all  to 
lie  down  and  sleep  off  the  effects  of  the 
spirits. 

From  Australia,  Paton  went  to  Scotland. 
He  travelled  all  over  the  country,  speaking 
in  behalf  of  the  mission.  While  in  Scot- 
land he  married  Margaret  Whitecross,  a 
woman  well  fitted  to  be  the  wife  and 
helper  of  such  a  man.  Leaving  Scotland 
in  the  latter  part  of  1864,  they  arrived  in 
the  New  Hebrides  in  the  early  part  of 
1865. 

In     1866    they    settled    on    Aniwa,    an 


262  '  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

island  near  Tanna.  The  old  Tannese 
chief,  Nowar,  who  had  always  been 
friendly  to  Paton,  was  very  anxious  to 
have  him  settle  on  Tanna,  Seeing  that 
this  Vv'as  impossible,  Nowar  took  from  his 
arm  the  white  shells,  insio-nia  of  chieftain- 
ship,  and  binding  them  to  the  arm  of  a 
visiting  Aniwan  chief,  said  :  "  By  these  )'ou 
promise  to  protect  my  missionary  and  his 
wife  and  child  on  Aniwa.  Let  no  evil 
befall  them,  or  by  this  pledge  I  and  my 
people  will  avenge  it."  This  act  of  the  old 
chief  did  much  to  insure  the  future  safety 
of  Paton  and  his  family. 

Aniwa  is  a  small  island,  only  nine  miles 
long  by  three  and  one-half  wide.  There 
is  a  scarcity  of  rain,  but  the  heavy  dews 
and  moist  atmosphere  keep  the  land  cov- 
ered with  verdure.  The  natives  were  like 
those  on  Tanna,  although  they  spoke  a  dif- 
ferent lano-uao-e. 

They  were  well  received  by  the  natives, 
who  escorted  them  to  their  temporary 
abode,  and  watched  them  at  their  meals. 
The  first  duty  was  to  build  a  house.     An 


JOHN  G.   PA  TON.  263 

elevated  site  was  purchased,  where  it  was 
afterward  learned  all  the  bones  and  refuse 
of  the  Aniwan  cannibal  feast,  for  years, 
had  been  buried.  The  natives  probably 
thouo'ht  that,  when  they  disturbed  these, 
the  missionary  and  his  helpers  would  drop 
dead.  In  building-  the  house,  an  incident 
occurred  which  afterward  proved  of  great 
benefit  to  Paton.  One  day,  having  need 
of  some  nails  and  tools,  he  picked  up  a 
chip  and  wrote  a  few  words  on  it.  Hand- 
*;  inof  it  to  an  old  chief,  he  told  him  to  take 

it  to  Mrs.  Paton.  When  the  chief  saw  her 
look  at  the  chip  and  then  get  the  things 
needed,  he  was  filled  with  amazement. 
From  that  time  on  he  took  great  inter- 
est in  the  work  of  the  mission,  and  when 
the  Bible  was  beinor  translated  into  the 
Aniwa  lan^uao-e  he  rendered  invaluable 
aid. 

Another  chief,  with  his  two  sons,  visited 
the  mission-house  and  was  much  inter- 
ested ;  but  when  they  were  returning 
home,  one  of  his  sons  became  very  ill. 
Of  course  he  thought  the  missionary  was 


264  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

to  blame,  and  threatened  to  kill  the  latter ; 
but  when,  by  the  use  of  proper  medicine, 
Paton  brought  the  boy  back  to  health 
again,  the  chief  went  to  the  opposite  ex- 
treme, and  was  ever  afterward  a  most 
devoted  helper. 

The  first  convert  on  Aniwa  was  the  chief 
Mamokei.  He  often  came  to  drink  tea 
with  the  missionary  family,  and  afterward 
brought  with  him  chief  Naswai  and  his 
wife  ;  and  all  three  were  soon  converted. 
Mamokei  brought  his  little  daughter  to  be 
educated  in  the  mission.  Many  orphan 
children  were  also  put  under  their  care, 
and  often  these  little  children  warned  them 
of  plots  against  their  lives. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  work  on  Aniwa, 
an  incident  happened  which  was  amusing 
as  well  as  romantic.  A  young  Aniwan 
was  in  love  with  a  young  widow,  living 
in  an  island  village.  Unfortunately,  there 
were  thirty  other  young  men  who  also 
were  suitors  ;  and  as  the  one  who  married 
her  would  probably  be  killed  by  the  others, 
none  dared  to  venture.     After  consulting 


JOHN'  G.   PA  ton:  265 

with  Paton,  the  young  man  went  to  her 
village  at  night  and  stole  away  with  her. 
The  others  were  furious,  but  were  pacified 
by  Paton,  who  made  them  believe  she 
was  not  worth  troubling  themselves  over. 
After  three  weeks  had  passed,  the  young 
man  came  out  of  hiding,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  brine  her  to  the  mission-house, 
which  was  granted.  The  next  day  she 
appeared  in  time  for  services.  As  the  dis- 
tinofuishingr  feature  of  a  Christian  on  An- 
iwa  is  that  he  wears  more  clothing  than 
the  heathen  native,  and  as  this  young  lady 
wished  to  show  very  plainly  in  what  direc- 
tion her  sympathies  extended,  she  appeared 
on  the  scene  clad  in  a  variety  and  abun- 
dance of  clothing  which  it  would  be  hard  to 
equal.  It  was  mostly  European,  at  least. 
Over  her  native  o-i'a-ss  skirt  she  wore  a 
man's  drab-colored  great-coat,  sweeping 
over  her  heels.  Over  this  was  a  vest,  and 
on  her  head  was  a  pair  of  trousers,  one 
lee  trailing  ov^er  each  shoulder.  On  one 
shoulder,  also,  was  a  red  shirt,  on  the 
other   a  striped    one;    and,  last    of   all,  a 


266  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

red  shirt  was  twisted  around  her  head  as 
a  turban,  » 

Many  stories  might  be  told  illustrating 
the  results  of  the  early  efforts  of  the  mis- 
sionary, but  we  pass  on  to  that  of  the  sink- 
ing of  the  well.  As  has  already  been  said, 
there  is  little  rain  on  Aniwa.  The  juice  of 
the  cocoanut  is  largely  used  by  the  natives 
in  place  of  drinking-water.  Paton  resolved 
to  sink  a  well,  much  to  the  astonishment 
of  the  natives,  who,  when  he  explained  his 
plan  to  them,  thought  him  crazy.  He  be- 
gan to  dig  ;  and  the  friendly  old  chief  kept 
men  near  him  all  the  time,  for  fear  he 
would  take  his  own  life,  for  they  thought 
surely  he  must  have  gone  mad.  He  man- 
aged to  get  some  of  the  natives  to  help  him, 
paying  them  in  fish-hooks  ;  but  when  the 
depth  of  twelve  feet  was  reached  the  sides 
of  the  excavation  caved  in,  and  after  that 
no  native  would  enter  it.  Paton  then  con- 
structed a  derrick  ;  and  they  finally  con- 
sented to  help  pull  up  the  loaded  pails, 
while  he  dug.  Day  after  day  he  toiled, 
till  the  hole  was  thirty  feet  deep.     Still  no 


JOHN  G.   PATON.  267 

water  was  found.  That  day  he  said  to  the 
old  chief,  "  I  think  Jehovah  God  will  give 
us  water  to-morrow  from  that  hole."  But 
the  chief  said  they  expected  to  see  him  fall 
throuofh  into  the  sea.  Next  morninor  he 
sunk  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  well, 
and  from  this  hole  there  spurted  a  stream 
of  water.  Filling  the  jug  with  the  water, 
he  passed  it  round  to  the  natives,  telling 
them  to  examine  and  taste  it.  They  were 
so  awe-stricken  that  not  one  dared  look 
over  the  edge  into  the  well.  At  last  they 
formed  a  line,  holding  each  other  by  the 
hand,  and  first  one  looked  over,  then  the 
next,  etc.,  till  all  had  seen  the  water  in 
the  well.  When  they  were  told  that  they 
all  could  use  the  water  from  that  well,  the 
old  chief  exclaimed,  "  Missi,  what  can  we 
do  to  help  you  now  ?  "  He  directed  them 
to  bring  coral  rock  to  line  the  well  with, 
which  they  did  with  a  will.  That  was  the 
beofinninor  of  a  new  era  on  Aniwa.  The 
following  Sunday  the  chief  preached  a  ser- 
mon on  the  well.  In  the  days  that  followed 
multitudes  of  natives  brought  their  idols  to 


268  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  mission,  where  they  were  destroyed. 
Henceforth  Christianity  gained  a  perma- 
nent foothold  on  the  island. 

In  18.69  the  first  communion  was  held, 
twelve  out  of  twenty  applicants  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  church.  In  speaking  of  his 
emotions  durino-  the  first  communion,  Paton 
says,  "  I  shall  never  taste  a  deeper  bliss 
until  I  gaze  on  the  glorified  face  of  Jesus 
himself." 

In  1884  he  returned  to  Scotland,  his 
main  object  being  to  secure  ;^6,ooo  for  a 
mission-ship.  He  addressed  many  assem- 
blages of  different  kinds,  and  succeeded  in 
getting  not  only  the  ^6,000  required,  but 
^3,000  beside.  He  returned  to  Aniwa  in 
1886,  and  continued  his  work. 

Recently  he  again  visited  England,  and 
also  the  United  States.  He  is  now  back 
on  Aniwa  —  Aniwa,  no  longer  a  savage 
island,  but  by  the  grace  of  God  a  Christian 
land.  There  he  expects  to  remain  till  sum- 
moned to  his  reward  before  the  heavenly 
throne. 

In  this  sketch  an  attempt  has  been  made 


JOHN.    G.  PA  TON.  269 

to  give  only  a  brief  account  of  the  work  of 
this  great  missionary.  No  adequate  idea 
can  be  given  of  his  untiring  zeal,  his  for- 
getful ness  of  self,  and  his  simple  faith  in 
God.  It  is  probable  that  no  one  has  ever 
visited  America  in  the  interest  of  foreign 
missions  who  has  made  so  deep  an  impres- 
sion of  the  triumphs  of  the  gospel  among 
vicious  and  degraded  peoples  as  has  the 
eminent  missionary  hero,  John  G.  Paton. 


XVII. 

ALEXANDER   M.   MAC  KAY. 

Missionary  to  Uganda. 
Born  Oct.  13,   1S49;  Died  Feb.  8,  1S90. 


XVII. 

ALEXANDER  M.   MACK  AY. 

Greek  and  Roman,  Arab,  Turk,  and 
Christian  pioneer,  at  various  times,  and  ac- 
tuated by  different  purposes,  have  wended 
their  ways  into  the  unknown  land  of  the 
Dark  Continent ;  and  Africa  for  ages  has 
been  the  scene  of  thrilling  adventure,  per- 
ilous labor,  and  sublime  life-sacrifice. 

Livingstone,  Speke,  Gordon,  Stanley, 
Hannington,  and  others,  are  numbered 
among  the  world's  heroes ;  and  conspicu- 
ous upon  this  roll  of  noble  men  must  now 
be  written  the  name  of  Alexander  M. 
Mackay. 

Born  Oct.  13,  1849,  in  the  little  village 
of  Rhynie,  Aberdeen  County,  Scotland,  in 
his  father's  home,  —  the  Free  Church 
Manse,  —  Mr,  Mackay  was  at  once  blessed 
with  a  godly  upbringing    in  the  midst  of 

273 


274  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

intellectual  surroundings.  Mr.  Mackay's 
father  was  a  man  of  great  literary  ability, 
and  for  fourteen  years  carefully  carried  on 
the  daily  instruction  of  his  boy.  At  three 
years  of  age  Alexander  Mackay  read  the 
New  Testament  with  ease,  and  at  seven 
his  text-books  were  Milton's  "  Paradise 
Lost,"  Russell's  "  History  of  Modern  Eu- 
rope," Gibbon's  "  Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire,"  and  Robertson's  "  His- 
tory of  the  Discovery  of  America." 

He  was  his  father's  constant  companion 
in  his  walks  ;  and  stories  are  now  told  of 
the  villagers'  wonder  at  seeing  the  boy 
often  "  stop  to  look  for  something  in  the 
road  ;  "  while  from  point  of  fact  he  was 
watching  his  father's  stick  trace  the  sup- 
posed course  of  the  Zambesi  River,  or  out- 
line the  demonstrating  of  a  proposition  in 
Euclid.  Letters  were  frequently  received 
at  the  Manse  from  Huorh  Miller,  Sir 
Roderick  Murchison,  and  other  eminent 
scholars,  all  of  which  were  read  and  talked 
about  in  the  family  circle ;  and  in  these 
ways  the  boy's  mind  rapidly  developed. 


,,JS^^„V^ 


ALEXANDER    M.    MACKAY. 


ALEXANDER   M.   AfACKAY.  275 

At  ten  years  of  age  he  had  great  skill 
in  map- making,  and  wonderful  dexterity  in 
type-setting  ;  and  very  accurate  were  the 
proof-sheets  turned  out  from  his  little 
printing-press. 

In  1864  he  entered  the  grammar  school 
at  Aberdeen,  and  here  he  worked  well ;  he 
seldom  joined  the  excursions  of  the  young 
people,  but  preferred  to  become  initiated 
in  art  photography,  or  to  watch  the  work- 
men in  the  great  shipyards.  And  thus 
from  different  sources  practical  knowledge 
of  many  things  was  by  him  early  acquired. 

In  1865  Mackay  sustained  a  great  loss 
in  the  death  of  his  mother,  whose  part- 
ing injunction,  to  "  Search  the  Scriptures," 
became  a  duty,  always  continued.  In  the 
fall  of  1867  Mackay  entered  the  Free 
Church  Training  School  for  Teachers,  in 
Edinburgh  ;  and  there  he  won  the  admira- 
tion  of  pupils  and  teachers  by  his  scholarly 
ability  for  two  years,  and  then  entered  the 
Edinburgh  University  for  a  three  years' 
course  in  classics,  applied  mechanics,  higher 
mathematics,  and   natural  philosophy,  fol- 


2/6  GREAT  MISSIOXARIES. 

lowed  by  a  year  s  study  of  surveying  and  for- 
tification with  Lieutenant  Mackie,  Professor 
of  Engineering.  For  two  years  (1870- 
^^2),  while  Secretary  of  the  Engineering  So- 
ciety, and  tutor  each  morning  at  George 
Watson's  College,  Mackay  daily  took  the 
tram-car  to  Leith,  and  spent  his  afternoons 
in  model-making,  and  in  turning,  fitting, 
and  erecting  machinery  in  the  engineering 
works  of  Messrs.  Miller  and  Herbert.  His 
evenings  were  employed  in  attending  lec- 
tures on  chemistry  and  geology  at  the 
School  of  Arts  and  other  places.  Sundays 
he  gave  to  regular  attendance  at  religious 
services,  and  to  teaching  in  Dr.  Guthrie's 
Orieinal  Ra^-ored  School. 

In  November,  1873,  Mackay  went  to  Ger- 
many to  study  the  language,  and  at  once 
secured  a  good  position  as  draughtsman  in 
the  Berlin  Union  Engineering  Co.  While 
thus  employed,  he  spent  his  evenings  in 
translatino-  Liibsen's  "  Differential  and  In- 
tegral  Calculus,"  and  in  inventing  an  agri- 
cultural machine,  which  obtained  the  first 
prize  at  the    exhibition   of   steam-engines 


ALEXANDER   M.    MAC  KAY.  2'J'J 

held  at  Breslau.  The  directors  of  the  com- 
pany, recognizin  Mackay's  abihty,  soon 
made  him  chief  of  the  locomotive  depart- 
ment. 

In  May,  1874,  Mackay  becanie  a  board- 
ing member  in  the  family  of  Herr  Hofpre- 
diger  Raiir,  one  of  the  ministers  at  the 
cathedral,  and  one  of  the  chaplains  ;  and 
in  this  cultured  and  pious  home  Mackay 
derived  many  advantages,  and  met  once 
a  week  at  the  Bible  readino-s,  the  elite 
of  the  Christian  society  of  Berlin,  among 
whom  were  Grafin  von  Arnim,  sister  of 
Prince  Bismarck,  and  Graf  and  Grafin  Eg- 
loffstein,who  gave  great  interest  to  Mackay's 
later  labors. 

At  this  time  Herr  Hofprediger  Baur  was 
actively  engaged  in  a  German  translation 
of  the  life  of  Bishop  Patteson  ;  and  this 
work,  together  with  the  Professor's  sympa- 
thy, proved  a  stimulus  to  the  decision 
Mackay  had  already  made  to  devote  his  life 
to  missionary  work  ;  this  decision  having 
been  arrived  at  after  reading  his  sister's 
account  of  Dr.  Burns  Thompson's  urgent 


278  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

appeal  to  young  men  to  go  to  Madagascar, 
With  Mackay  to  decide  was  to  act ;  but  as 
he  could  not  at  once  enter  the  field  as 
clergyman  or  doctor,  he  determined  to  do 
so  as  engineering  missionary  (a  most  prac- 
tical and  far-sighted  determination)  ;  and, 
blessed  with  his  father's  sanction,  he  offered 
his  services  to  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, but  was  answered  that  Madagascar 
"was  not  yet  ripe  for  his  assistance."  At 
this  time  Mackay  received  an  offer  of  part- 
nership in  a  large  engineering  firm  in  Mos- 
cow, which  without  hesitation  he  refused, 
believing  an  opening  for  him  in  mission- 
work  would  soon  be  found. 

In  1875  ^^^^  Daily  TelegrapJi  published 
Stanley's  famous  letter  "  challenging  Chris- 
tendom to  send  missionaries  to  Uganda  ;  " 
and  the  Church  Missionary  Society  gladl)- 
accepted  Mackay's  offer  of  service  in  their 
future  mission  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 
Early  in  March,  Mackay  returned  to  Eng- 
land ;  and  in  the  development  of  plans 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  determined 
to  combine  the  industrial  with  the  religious 


ALEXANDER  M.   MAC  KAY.  279 

element,  and  sanctioned  the  purchase  of  a 
Hoht  cedar  boat  for  navicration,  and  also 
appropriated  three  hundred  pounds  for  a 
portable  engine  and  boiler  to  be  fitted  into 
a  wooden  boat  to  be  built  by  the  missiona- 
ries on  the  Nyanza.  Many  weary  days 
Mackay  gave  to  finding,  in  London,  an 
engineer  who  would  build  an  engine  on 
the  principle  of  welded  rings,  each  light 
enough  to  be  transported  by  two  men. 
But  finally  an  engine  after  his  own  design 
was  built,  and  tools  of  all  kinds  were  ready 
for  the  enterprise  ;  and  on  the  27th  of 
April,  1876,  in  a  company  of  eight,  Mackay 
left  England  in  the  Peshawur,  and  arrived 
at  Zanzibar  May  29, 

To  facilitate  the  journey  to  the  great 
lake,  the  mission  party  intended  to  sail  up 
the  Wami  River,  and  on  the  12th  of  June 
Mackay  and  Lieutenant  Smith  started  in 
the  Daisy  on  a  voyage  of  exploration,  but, 
after  many  days  of  hardship,  they  found 
both  the  Wami  and  Kineani  Rivers  un- 
navigable,  and  were  obliged  to  proceed  in- 
land on    foot.     At  Ugogo,    in   November, 


28o  GREAT  MISSIOA^ARIES. 

Mackay,  who  had  charge  of  the  third  sec- 
tion of  the  caravan,  was  taken  seriously  ill, 
and  was  obliged  to  return  to  the  coast, 
where  he  was  instructed  by  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  to  delay  starting  for 
the  interior  until  June,  1877.  He  em- 
ployed the  intervening  time  in  sending  a 
relief  caravan  to  his  brethren  on  the  lake, 
and  in  cutting  a  good  road  to  Mpwapa, 
two  hundred  and  thirty  miles  inland. 

March,  1878,  Mackay  heard  of  the  mur- 
der of  Lieutenant  Smith  and  Mr.  O'Neill, 
who  had  reached  the  lake  months  before, 
and  hurried  with  all  speed  to  the  scene  of 
the  disaster,  the  island  of  Ukerewe,  hop- 
ing by  friendly  intervention  to  prevent 
further  bloodshed. 

June  13  he  arrived  at  Kagei,  and  had 
his  first  glimpse  of  the  great  lake.  With 
joy  he  realized  that  the  worst  part  of  his 
journey  was  over.  Piled  together  in  a  hut, 
Mackay  found  much  of  the  valuable  prop- 
erty conveyed  to  this  point  by  the  first  sec- 
tions of  the  expedition,  and  left  in  charge 
of  the  natives.     Heaped  together  lay  boiler- 


ALEXANDER  M.    MAC  KAY.  28 1 

shells  and  books,  papers  and  piston-rods, 
steam-pipes  and  stationery,  printers'  types, 
saws,  and  garden-seed,  tins  of  bacon  and 
bags  of  clothes,  portable  forges  and  boiler- 
fittings,  here  a  cylinder,  there  its  sole  plate. 

"Ten  days'  hard  work  from  dawn  to 
dark,  and,"  Mackay  wrote,  "  the  engines 
for  our  steamer  stand  complete  to  the  last 
screw ;  the  boiler  is  ready  to  be  riveted, 
tools  and  types  have  separate  boxes,  and 
rust  and  dust  are  thrown  out  of  doors.  It 
seems  a  miracle  that  I  find  almost  every- 
thing complete,  even  to  its  smallest  be- 
longing, after  a  tedious  voyage  of  seven 
hundred  miles."  The  Daisy,  rebuilt  by 
O'Neill,  but  now  greatly  damaged,  em- 
ployed Mackay's  attention  ;  and  setting  up 
his  rotary  grindstone,  to  the  wonderment 
of  the  natives,  he  patched  the  sides  and 
calked  the  seams,  and  made  the  boat 
again  seaworthy. 

After  his  great  labor  in  repairs,  Mackay, 
in  spite  of  danger  to  himself,  visited  Uke- 
rewe,  and  with  tactful  courao^e  held  a 
friendly  visit   with    King    Lkonge.     After 


282  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

this  visit  Mackay  was  a  victim  of  dysen- 
tery ;  but  at  length,  joined  by  Mr.  Wilson, 
and  favored  with  a  good  breeze,  he  sailed 
in  the  Daisy  for  Uganda.  Four  days  of 
fine  sailing,  and  then  they  were  wrecked  ; 
and  eiorht  weeks  of  hard  labor  was  griven 
to  making  a  new  boat  out  of  the  Daisy, 

Mackay  finally  reached  Rubaga,  the 
capital  of  Uganda,  Nov.  6.  A  friendly  in- 
terview was  at  once  had  with  King  Mtesa, 
who  had  told  Stanley  to  send  the  "white 
men,"  and  for  a  time  affairs  at  court  went 
smoothly.  Mtesa  and  his  subjects  were 
much  interested  by  accounts  of  railways, 
electricity,  astronomy,  and  physiology  ;  and 
Mackay  gained  great  influence  by  his  me- 
chanical skill,  which  caused  wonder  and 
admiration. 

Mtesa  appeared  very  anxious  to  hear 
more  about  the  Christian  religion  to  which 
Stanley  had  introduced  him,  and  every 
Sunday  religious  services  were  held  at 
court.  From  the  first,  the  Arabs  who 
centred  in  Rubaga  were  jealous  of  Mac- 
kay, fearing  his  influence  would  overthrow 


ALEXANDER  M.   MAC  KAY.  283 

the  slave  traffic,  which  brought  them  here 
as  elsewhere  in  Africa.  They  used  all 
means  to  turn  Mtesa  against  the  white 
man,  the  most  potent  of  which  were  the 
rich  presents,  including  fire-arms,  pre- 
sented  to  the  king. 

The  Arabs  were  no  more  formidable 
enemies  to  Mackay  than  were  the  Roman 
Catholic  missionaries,  who  came  soon  after 
his  arrival,  confusing  Mtesa  with  their 
claims  to  the  true  religion,  and  instituting 
a  cruel  persecution  against  the  Protestants. 

In  April,  1880,  Mackay,  finding  his  store 
of  goods  nearly  exhausted  by  the  thieving 
of  Mtesa's  chiefs,  went  to  Uyui  for  sup- 
plies, and  during  this  trip  barely  escaped 
being  murdered  by  the  natives.  At  this 
time  Mtesa  turned  entirely  away  from  the 
teachings  which  Mackay  and  his  friends 
had  labored  for  two  years  to  inculcate, — 
two  years  of  labor,  poverty,  danger,  and 
ofttimes  threatened  starvation,  Mackay 
keeping  his  comrades  alive  by  the  sale  of 
articles  made  by  himself  in  his  workshop. 

"  Besides    teaching    his   pupils   reading. 


284  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

writing,  and  arithmetic,  Mackay  gave  them 
daily  lessons  "  in  building  and  designing. 
He  built  a  house  for  the  mission  party, 
which  was  a  source  of  wonder  to  all,  and 
caused  Mtesa  to  ask  instruction  for  the 
natives  in  wood  and  iron  ;  and  when  Mac- 
kay asked  a  piece  of  ground  to  build  huts 
on,  he  at  once  gave  him  twenty  acres. 
To  the  natives  Mackay's  most  wonderful 
achievement  was  a  cart  painted  red  and 
blue,  and  drawn  by  oxen. 

From  time  to  time  Mackay's  great  work 
was  supplemented  by  co-laborers  sent  by 
the  Church  Missionary  Society ;  and  in 
March,  1881,  his  heart  was  delighted 
by  the  baptism  of  five  converts  by  Mr. 
O'Flaherty.  Early  in  1883  the  Rev.  E. 
C.  Gordon  and  Mr.  Wise  joined  Mackay ; 
in  May  of  the  same  year  the  Rev.  R.  P. 
Ashe  arrived,  and  the  prospects  of  the 
Mission  were  most  encouraging  until  Oc- 
tober,   1884,  when  Mtesa  died. 

The  king's  son,  Mwanga,  succeeded  to 
the  throne  —  a  youth  with  all  his  father's 
vices  and  none  of  his  virtues  ;  and  a  reign 


ALEXANDER   M.   MAC  KAY.  285 

of  blood  and  terror  followed,  beginning- 
with  the  burning  of  two  Christian  lads, 
who  met  their  death  with  songs  of  praise, 
and  were  the  first  martyrs  to  the  faith  in 
Uganda.  The  storm  of  persecution  spent 
its  full  force  in  October,  1885,  when  news 
reached  the  kinof  that  white  men  had  come 
by  the  Masai  route,  and  were  entering 
Uganda  by  the  "  back  door."  Orders  were 
sent  to  kill  the  whole  party.  Prevented 
from  leaving  the  court,  Ashe  and  Mackay 
awaited  in  dread  suspense,  which  gave  way 
to  despair,  when  news  of  Bishop  Hanning- 
ton's  death  was  confirmed.  In  the  months 
that  followed,  lives  of  missionaries  and  con- 
verts were  in  constant  danger ;  still  the 
gospel  spread,  and  young  men  came  daily 
to  the  mission  house  for  translated  copies. 
In  May,  1886,  thirty  of  the  missionaries' 
faithful  converts  were  slowly  burned  alive. 
Mackay  was  now  anxious  to  get  out  of  the 
country,  but  was  refused  permission  to 
leave.  New  missionaries  with  presents 
would  have  bought  his  escape ;  but  he 
would    not    write    for    men    to    come    to 


286  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Uo-anda  in  the  disturbed  condition  of  af- 
fairs,  so  bravely  stayed  on,  even  after  he 
had  unselfishly  obtained  leave  for  Ashe 
to  go. 

Alone,  weary  in  soul  and  body,  his  life 
in  imminent  danger,  Mackay  worked  early 
and  late  in  translating  and  printing  the 
Scriptures.  News  of  the  Emin  Pasha  ex- 
pedition reached  the  king  ;  and  warned  by 
French  priests  that  Stanley  and  Mackay 
would  put  their  heads  together  to  "eat  the 
country,"  Mwanga  decided  that  Mackay 
must  leave  Uganda.  Arranging  that  Mr. 
Gordon  should  come  to  care  for  the  con- 
verts, who  were  only  comforted  by  his  as- 
surances that  he  was  but  going  to  the  south 
of  the  lake,  Mackay  turned  away  from  the 
country  where  he  had  spent  nine  eventful 
years,  —  years  of  deep  experiences,  of  toils 
and  privations  ;  years  that  had  silvered  his 
hair  and  calmed  the  restless  impulses  of  his 
youth  ;  but  his  watchword  was  unchanged 
—  "  Africa  for  Christ." 

After   much  weary    wandering,    Mackay 
fell  in  with  a  friendly  chief  in  the  land  of 


ALEXAiXDER   M.    MAC  A' AY.  28/ 

Usambiro ;  and  here,  single-handed  and 
alone,  he  began  the  great  work  of  a  new 
mission  station.  A  band  of  five  men, 
headed  by  Bishop  Parker,  and  including 
his  old  friend  and  fellow  worker,  Ashe, 
soon  came  to  cheer  his  lonely  life.  A  few 
happy  weeks  together  —  then  Bishop  Par- 
ker and  Mr.  Blackburn  died  of  fever ; 
Mr.  Walker  went  to  Uganda ;  Mr.  Ashe 
was  compelled  to  return  home  on  account 
of  bad  health  ;   Mackay  was  again  alone. 

And  again  this  all-round  missionary  set 
himself  to  the  work  of  teaching,  translat- 
ing, printing,  binding,  doctoring,  and  build- 
ing ;  and  in  the  midst  of  these  many  and 
arduous  labors,  he  found  time  to  give  to  the 
world  practical  suggestions,  now  being  car- 
ried out ;  viz.,  "  Stations  all  over  Uganda," 
and,  "  a  railway  from  the  coast  to  the 
lake." 

In  September,  1889,  Stanley  visited 
Mackay  on  his  return  to  the  coast,  and 
"  In  Darkest  Africa"  eives  with  unstinted 
praise  an  account  of  the  mission  station, 
with  its  clay-built  house  "  garnished  with 


288  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

missionary  pictures,  and  shelves  filled  with 
choice,  useful  books,  its  hospitable  table 
with  wholesome  food  (home-made  bread 
and  coffee)  ;  the  mission- school  of  neat, 
well-mannered  boys,  a  launch's  boiler,  and 
a  canoe  under  construction,  saw-pits,  and 
cattle-fold,  all  the  work  of  "  the  best  mis- 
sionary since  Livingstone." 

Stanley  and  his  party  urged  Mackay  to 
join  the  homeward  expedition,  but  with 
characteristic  fidelity  he  refused  to  leave 
until  some  one  came  to  take  his  place. 
"  European  platforms  and  royal  recep- 
tions"  were  never  his;  but  Feb.  8,  1890, 
his  tireless  energy  rested,  and  the  title- 
deeds  of  his  labor  were  recorded,  in  divine 
Presence,  upon  the  brow  of  every  con- 
verted black  in  Uganda. 


XVIII. 

BISHOP  WILLIAM  TAYLOR, 

Missionary  in  Africa,  India,  and  Soutli  America. 
Born  May  2,  1821. 


WILLIAM   TAYLOR. 


XVIII. 

BISHOP    WILLIAM  TAYLOR. 

James  Taylor  was  one  of  five  brothers 
who  emigrated  from  County  Armagh,  Ire- 
land, to  the  colony  of  Virginia  about  one 
hundred  and  forty  years  ago,  fine  specimens 
of  that  hardy,  energetic  race  known  as 
Scotch-Irish,  of  the  old  Covenanter  type. 
Their  names  in  the  order  of  their  birth 
were,  George,  James,  William,  John,  and 
Canfield.  They  all  fought  for  American 
freedom  in  the  Revolution  of  1776,  John 
being  killed,  and  Canfield  a  prisoner  of  war 
when  the  new  nation  was  born.  Georg-e  and 
James  both  married  daughters  of  Captain 
Audley  Paul,  of  the  same  hardy  clan,  who 
was  a  fellow-lieutenant  of  Georgfe  Wash- 
ington,  and  was  present  on  the  morning 
of  "  Braddock's  defeat,"  when  young  Wash- 
ington ventured  to    suggest    that   the  In- 

291 


292  GKEA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

dians  would  have  to  be  fought  in  their 
own  fashion.  Audley  Paul,  with  many  oth- 
ers, swam  the  Allegheny  ;  and  the  sword 
he  carried  in  that  disastrous  engagement, 
and  in  his  years  of  marching  and  fighting 
as  a  captain  in  the  War  of  Independence, 
is  a  relic  in  the  Taylor  family. 

The  Taylors  had  invested  in  land  and 
slaves  ;  but  the  Pauls,  being  religiously 
opposed  to  slavery,  so  indoctrinated  the 
rising  generation  of  Taylors,  that  they 
set  the  slaves  free  as  fast  as  they  came 
into  their  possession  by  inheritance.  A 
younger  son  of  James  and  Ann  Taylor, 
Stuart,  married  Martha  E.  Hickman,  of 
an  English  family  that  had  settled  in 
Delaware  ;  and  their  first-born,  William, 
came  to  them  in  Rockbridge  County,  Vir- 
ginia, May  2,  1821.  Of  the  eleven  sons 
and  daughters  of  which  he  was  the  eldest, 
the  father  wrote,  on  his  fiftieth  wedding 
anniversary:  "God  has  blessed  us  in  our 
children.  They  are  all  healthy,  all  religious, 
all  Methodists,  all  industrious,  all  peaceable 
and  peace-makers ;  all  married  except  Re- 


BISHOP    WILLIAM   TAYLOR.  293 

becca  and  John,  who  are  in  heaven  ;  all  set- 
tled in  comfortable  homes  of  their  own, 
except  the  three  itinerant  Methodist  minis- 
ters. We  are  happy  then  to  know  that  our 
work  is  done.  Our  sun  is  setting,  and  not 
a  cloud  in  the  west.  We  are  waiting  cheer- 
fully on  the  bank  of  the  river  for  the  boat- 
man to  come  and  take  us  home." 

Before  the  conversion  of  his  parents, 
while  still  the  occupant  of  the  "  trundle- 
bed,"  William  was  deeply  convicted  of  sin. 
He  had  learned  to  read  portions  of  Scrip- 
ture concerning  the  love  of  Jesus  ;  and  one 
day  he  heard  a  black  girl  tell  of  the  testi- 
mony of  a  black  collier  to  his  present  sav- 
ing power ;  and  on  this  evidence,  given 
second-hand,  he  was  enabled  "  to  receive 
and  trust  Jesus,  and  come  into  blessed 
union  with  God."  He  early  had  a  desire 
to  preach  the  gospel,  and  daily  witnessed 
and  worked  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 
The  occasion  of  his  reception  of  his  first 
license  as  an  "  exhorter"  was  immediately 
preceded  by  a  dream,  prophetic  of  his  life 
work.     In  his  dream  he  was  listeninor  to 


294  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

an  earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel,  who, 
at  the  close  of  the  sermon,  sang  a  solo 
while  the  larger  part  of  the  congrega- 
tion retired.  Then  the  preacher,  looking- 
steadfastly  at  him  as  he  sat  about  twelve 
feet  in  front  of  him,  said:  "William,  I 
have  known  for  some  time  that  God  has 
a  special  work  for  you  to  do.  If  you  will 
follow  his  Spirit,  confer  not  with  flesh  and 
blood,  turn  neither  to  the  rieht  nor  to  the 
left,  your  wisdom  will  be  like  the  continual 
dropping  into  a  bucket." 

The  words  but  expressed  a  vision  of 
the  whole  thing  clearly  presented  to  his 
view,  including  a  large,  empty  bucket,  with 
the  rapid  dropping  of  the  clearest,  purest 
water.  The  following  Sunday,  after  the 
sermon,  about  thirty  persons  remained  for 
class-meeting,  the  preacher  singing  a  hymn 
while  the  rest  retired.  Comingf  down  from 
the  pulpit  he  said  to  him,  "  William,  I 
want  you  to  go  out.  "  He  hastened  home, 
wondering  why  he  should  be  ordered  out 
of  the  church  in  the  presence  of  the  whole 
class  ;   while  the  pastor  said  to  the  people, 


BISHOP    WILLI ARF   TAYLOR.  295 

"  I  have  had  my  eye  on  Wilham  Taylor 
for  some  time  past,  and,  beheving  that 
God  has  a  special  work  for  him  to  do,  I 
wish  to  submit  his  name  to  the  church 
as  a  suitable  person  to  receive  an  official 
license  to  exhort." 

For  seven  years,  from  1842,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  pioneer  preaching  in  the  hills  of 
Virginia  and  Maryland,  and  in  the  city  of 
Baltimore.  The  seven  years  succeeding, 
he  was  oreanizinor  churches  in  California. 
Mr.  Taylor  was  the  first  Methodist  mis- 
sionary in  San  Francisco,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  street  preaching,  and  became 
popularly  known  as  "  Father  Taylor."  His 
desire  was  to  remain  there  in  the  pastorate, 
but  having  become  personally  responsible 
for  the  debts  of  a  church  that  was  burned, 
he  assumed  their  payment.  In  order  to 
secure  money  he  wrote  and  sold  books. 
The  next  seven  years  he  travelled  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  usually  re- 
maining only  three  nights  in  each  church, 
preaching  two  nights  with  "  direct  soul- 
savino^    results,"    and    lecturing    the    third 


296  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

night,  generally  selling  from  two  to  three 
hundred  dollars'  worth  of  his  books  at  the 
altar  rail  at  the  close. 

In  May,  1862,  he  commenced  a  foreign 
evangelizing  tour,  the  principal  fields  being 
the  Australian  Colonies,  New  Zealand,  Tas- 
mania, Cape  Colony,  Caffraria  and  Natal, 
West  India  Islands,  British  Guiana,  South 
America,  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland, 
Ceylon  and  India.  Having  labored  during 
the  year  187 1  in  the  mission  of  North  In- 
dia as  an  evangelist,  he  opened  new  fields 
in  South  India  in  1872,  purely  on  the  line 
of  self-support.  From  the  churches  organ- 
ized, not  from  accretion,  but  by  new  crea- 
tion, consisting  of  new-born  souls,  two 
annual  conferences  were  formed,  and  the 
number  has  since  increased  to  four. 

He  returned  to  the  United  States  in  1875, 
purposing  to  resume  work  in  South  India 
the  following  year,  but  was  detained  by  hav- 
ing to  sell  more  books  to  procure  funds  to 
pay  passage  of  more  missionaries,  for  that 
rapidly  developing  work.  In  all,  he  has 
personally  sold  over  two  hundred  thousand 


JSISIIOr    WILLIAM   TAYLOR.  2C)'J 

dollars'  worth  of  his  own  books.  In  1878 
he  was  led  to  open  self-supporting  missions 
in  South  America,  and  in  1S79  he  opened 
the  "Transit  and  Building  Fund"  to  help 
found  self-supporting  missions.  While  in 
South  America  he  received  a  request  to 
represent  South  India  Conference,  as  a  lay 
delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1884, 
the  body  that  made  him  missionary  Bishop 
of  Africa. 

His  previous  knowledge  of  this  difficult 
field  enabled  him  to  adopt  methods  at  the 
start  that  have  proved  well  adapted  to  its 
peculiarities.  The  plan  of  missionary  work 
well  suited  to  Asiatic  countries,  with  their 
Oriental  type  of  civilization,  comprising 
school  work  and  gospel  preaching,  was  not 
broad  enough  for  a  purely  heathen  country 
like  Africa  ;  so  to  these  he  added  two  other 
lines  of  work — industries  adequate  to  the 
demands  of  Christian  civilization,  and  nur- 
sery missions. 

His  plan  in  founding  missions  in  Africa 
is  to  negotiate  with  kings  and  chiefs  for 
mission-sites  in  suitable  centres,  with  all 
the  land  needed  for  industrial  school  work, 


298  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  establish  as  a  specialty  a  nursery  mis- 
sion on  each  site,  placing-  in  it  a  compe- 
tent missionary  matron,  and  adopting  from 
heathenism  as  quickly  as  possible  from  ten 
to  twenty  little  boys  and  girls  before  they 
become  heathens,  and  have  them  trained 
from  the  beginning  in  the  way  in  which 
they  should  go.  The  aim  is,  first,  to  train 
them  in  suitable  industries  for  self-support 
in  that  country ;  second,  to  give  them  a 
good  common-school  education  ;  third,  "  to 
get  them  quickly  to  the  bosom  of  Jesus, 
and  thus  enroll  and  equip  them  for  the 
good  fight  of  faith  ;  "  and,  fourth,  to  exer- 
cise them  freely  from  the  day  of  their 
conversion  "  as  witnesses  for  Jesus,  and 
soul-winners  for  his  fold." 

Self-support  was  achieved  in  India  from 
the  start,  on  the  Scripture  principle  that  the 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire ;  the  church 
being  formed  mainly  from  converts  from 
amono-  the  Eurasians,  who  were  enabled 
from  their  industries  to  contribute  reofu- 
larly  to  the  support  of  their  missionaries, 
and  for  the  extension  of  the  work  among 
the  purely  native  population. 


BJSJIOP    WILLIAM    TAYLOR.  299 

In  South  America  the  estabHshment  of 
a  hieh  Qrrade  of  schools  formed  an  enter- 
ing  wedge,  and  furnished  support  for  the 
missionaries. 

In  Africa  it  is  different,  the  raw  heathen 
having  no  means  of  supporting,  or  appre- 
ciation of,  gospel  preaching  and  school 
teaching.  Bishop  Taylor  introduced  such 
industries  as  were  best  adapted  to  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  continent  where  he  opened 
missions,  requiring,  therefore,  a  longer  or 
shorter  period  of  time  for  their  develop- 
ment. Coffee  culture  is  the  main  industry 
on  the  west  coast,  requiring  six  or  seven 
years  to  become  profitably  productive.  The 
existing  stations  on  this  district  have  from 
one  thousand  to  ten  thousand  coffee-trees 
each,  the  average  subsidy  required  last 
year  being  a  thousand  dollars,  exclusive 
of  buildings. 

On  the  Conofo  the  farms  are  of  neces- 
sity  smaller  ;  three  of  the  missions  there 
being  self-supporting,  and  the  others  nearly 
so,  except  expenses  for  buildings  and  trans- 
portation. In  the  Province  of  Angola, 
mainly    on    the    commercial    plan,    all   the 


300  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

missions  and  stations,  except  the  receiving 
stations  at  Loanda,  are  entirely  self-sup- 
porting, and  to  a  considerable  extent  self- 
propagating.  Besides  the  profitable  lines 
mentioned,  the  natives  are  everywhere 
taught  all  the  varied  industries  of  the 
house,  shop,  and  farm,  —  the  gain  to  them 
in  developing  a  right  spirit  of  indepen- 
dence and  acquiring  the  practical  knowl- 
edo^e  of  useful  vocations  exceedino-  the 
financial  advantage  to  the  mission. 

The  nursery  missions  are  realizing  the 
faith  of  their  founder  in  the  conversion  of 
the  children  themselves,  and  their  utiliza- 
tion as  an  evangelizing  agency.  By  them, 
heathen,  from  kings  and  chiefs  to  outcast 
"  bushmen,"  whose  polygamous  complica- 
tions and  adherence  to  various  forms  of 
witchcraft  seemed  a  bar  to  the  earnest 
efforts  of  the  missionaries,  have  been  led 
into  the  fold  of  Christ.  These  children, 
with  the  native  evangelists,  some  of  whom 
have  been  developed  from  the  nursery 
missions,  are  everywhere  one  of  the  largest 
human  agencies  in  the  work  of  salvation. 
This  was   beautifully  illustrated  at  a  bap- 


BISHOP    WILLIAM   TAYLOR.  301 

tismal  service  at  Brooks  Mission,  Liberia, 
where  three  generations  of  one  family  knelt 
at  the  head  of  the  Hne  of  converts  at 
the  altar,  —  the  grandmother,  father  and 
mother,  and  younger  sister  of  Diana,  the 
Httle  Grebo  girl  who  was  introduced  to  the 
last  General  Conference. 

All  of  Bishop  Taylor's  missionaries,  to- 
gether with  the  rapidly  increasing  number 
of  native  evangelists,  receive  no  salary  ; 
and  yet  a  larger  number  than  can  be  fur- 
nished with  outfit,  passage^  mission-houses, 
and  equipment,  answer  the  constant  call 
for  more  missionaries  on  the  hioh  line  of 
voluntary  surrender  of  legal  rights  for  the 
establishment  of  the  work. 

Bishop  Taylor  declares  that  the  evan- 
gelization of  Africa  is  too  big  a  contract 
for  any  one  man  or  generation  of  men,  but 
that  his  call  is  to  introduce  practical  meth- 
ods that  will  go  on  to  the  conquest  of  the 
midnight  empire  of  the  world  for  Christ 
after  his  "  departure." 


XIX. 

ROBERT  MOFFAT. 

Missionary  in  Africa. 
Born  Dec.  21,  ,795;  Died  Aug.  10,  1883. 


XIX. 

ROBERT  MOFFA  T. 

"  From  scenes  like  these  old  Scotia's  grandeur  springs, 
That  makes  her  loved  at  home,  revered  abroad ; 
Princes  and  lords  are  but  the  breath  of  kings, 
'  An  honest  man's  tlie  noblest  work  of  God  ; ' 

And  certes,  in  fair  Virtue's  heavenly  road,  .■ 

The  cottage  leaves  the  palace  far  behind." 

Looking  backward,  Robert  Moffat  could 
clearly  trace  the  trend  of  his  life's  pur- 
poses to  the  gentle  but  unconscious  influ- 
ence of  his  mother,  who,  in  the  little 
cottage  home  at  Carronshore,  Scotland, 
ofathered  her  lads  around  the  fireside  on 
winter  nights,  while  she  read  aloud  accounts 
of  missionary  labors  in  heathen  lands. 
Born  Dec.  21,  1795,  Robert  had  few 
educational  advantages ;  and,  living  in  the 
midst  of  shipping,  he  early  turned  from 
"Wully      Mitchell's"     teaching      of     the 

305 


306  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

"  Shorter  Catechism,"  and  "  went  to  sea." 
In  the  peril  of  wind  and  waves  many  dan- 
gers were  mentioned  by  him,  and  hair- 
breadth escapes  chronicled ;  but  to  his 
parents'  joy  he  gave  up  nautical  pursuits, 
and  entered  school  at  Falkirk. 

When  but  fourteen  years  old  he  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a  gardener.  His  work  was 
laborious,  and  his  comforts  scanty ;  yet 
withal  he  attended  an  evening  school,  and 
learned  somethino-  of  Latin  and  mensura- 
tion.  Two  years  later  he  was  employed  as 
under  gardener  by  Mr.  Leigh,  of  High 
Leigh,  Cheshire  ;  and  there,  at  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists,  Robert 
became  converted.  Soon  after  his  conver- 
sion some  duty  took  him  to  Warrington, 
six  miles  distant  ;  and  as  he  crossed  the 
bridge  to  the  town,  he  saw  a  placard  an- 
nouncing a  missionary  meeting,  to  be  held 
under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  Roby 
of  Manchester.  Thoughts  of  his  mother's 
reading,  in  the  long  ago,  flooded  his  mem- 
ory ;  and  the  determination  to  devote  his 
life    to    missionary    work    was     instantly 


ROBERT   MOFFAT. 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  307 

formed.  Later,  an  interview  with  Mr. 
Roby  resulted  in  Moffat  accepting  a  po- 
sition in  Mr.  Smith's  nursery  garden,  at 
Durkinfield,  near  Manchester;  and  then  he 
began  to  prepare  himself  for  the  mission- 
field  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Roby.  While 
thus  at  work,  Robert  became  engaged  to 
his  employer's  daughter,  Mary  Smith. 

A  year  later  Robert  Moffat  went  to 
Manchester  for  a  few  months  of  college 
training,  and  then  accepted  a  position  un- 
der the  London  Missionary  Society,  and 
with  four  co-laborers  sailed  for  South 
Africa,  Oct.  i8,  1816.  Cape  Town  was 
reached  Jan.  13,  181 7;  and  while  waiting 
for  a  passport  from  the  government  to  go 
into  the  interior,  Moffat  boarded  in  a  farm- 
er's family  at  Stellenbosch,  and  passed  his 
time  in  acquiring  the  Dutch  language, 
which  enabled  him  to  preach  to  the  Boers. 

In  September,  in  company  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kichingman,  Moffat,  in  charge  of  a 
long  trail  of  wagons  drawn  by  oxen,  started 
for  the  Namaqualand  Mission.  The  natives 
at  this  station  were  ruled  by  Africaner,  an 


308  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

outlaw,  and  a  terror  to  the  farmers  of  the 
colony,  but  friendly  to  the  English.  After 
a  dreary  march,  during  which  many  of  the 
oxen  became  prey  to  the  hyenas,  the  band 
of  missionaries  reached  Bysondermeid. 
Here  Robert  Moffat  remained  with  the 
Kichingmans  for  a  month,  and  then,  aided 
by  a  guide,  proceeded  to  the  interior.  The 
way  inland  lay  through  a  trackless  desert. 
Here  the  oxen  became  so  exhausted,  a  halt 
was  called  before  water  could  be  reached, 
and  Moffat  was  oblicjed  to  send  to  Mr. 
Bartlett  at  Pella  for  oxen  accustomed  to 
travel  in  deep  sand.  "Three  days,"  says 
Robert  Moffat,  "  I  remained  with  my  wagon- 
driver  on  this  burning  plain,  with  scarcely 
a  breath  of  wind,  and  what  there  was  felt 
as  if  cominof  from  the  mouth  of  an  oven." 
Jan.  26,  18 18,  the  train  reached  Afri- 
caner's kraal,  and  received  a  warm  welcome 
from  Mr.  Ebner,  who,  a  few  days  after,  was 
obliged  to  depart,  leaving  Robert  Moffat, 
a  stranger  in  the  midst  of  a  strange  people  ; 
but  the  heart  of  the  young  missionary 
was  soon  cheered  by  the  regular  attendance 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  309 

of  Africaner  at  the  religious  services,  and 
his  conversion  was  followed  by  two  of  his 
brothers,  who  became  such  efficient  assist- 
ants in  the  school  and  mission  services  that 
Moffat  was  soon  able  to  undertake  itinerat- 
ino-  visits.  These  journeys  were  frequently 
attended  by  dangers  and  privations,  and 
an  indomitable  will  alone  sustained  life. 

Two  trips,  to  find  a  more  healthful  loca- 
tion for  the  mission,  were  unsuccessfully 
made  ;  and  for  twelve  months  Moffat  lived 
and  labored  at  Namaqualand  as  missionary, 
as  carpenter,  smith,  cooper,  shoemaker, 
miller,  baker,  and  housekeeper. 

In  1 8 19  Moffat  decided  to  visit  Cape 
Town  for  supplies,  and  to  introduce  Afri- 
caner to  the  notice  of  the  Colonial  Gov- 
ernment. To  oet  the  outlaw  throuoh  the 
territories  of  the  Dutch  farmers,  where  his 
former  atrocities  were  not  forgotten,  re- 
quiretl  nerveful  tact,  but  was  successfully 
done,  and  Africaner  was  cordially  welcomed 
by  the  governor  at  Cape  Town.  Moffat 
had  intended  to  return  to  Namaqualand, 
but   yielded   to    the  wish  of    the    London 


3IO  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Missionary  Society  deputation  then  at 
Cape  Town,  to  accompany  them  in  their 
visits  to  missionary  stations,  and  later  to 
accept  a  mission  at  the  Bechwana  station. 
Africaner,  hoping  to  move  his  tribe  to 
Moffat's  new  station,  journeyed  home 
alone,  conveying"  in  his  wagon,  presented 
by  the  governor,  many  of  the  effects  des- 
tined for  the  future  field.  The  deputa- 
tion, after  visiting  stations  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  colony  and  at  Kafirland,  were 
barred  from  further  progress  by  war,  and 
returned  to  Cape  Town.  Here,  on  the  27th 
of  December,  18 19,  Robert  Moffat  received 
his  affianced  wife,  and  soon  after  her  arri- 
val they  were  married. 

At  the  beo-innino-  of  the  year  1820,  the 
Moffats,  with  the  Rev.  John  Campbell, 
started  for  the  Bechwana  station  at  Latta- 
koo,  but  were  detained  at  Griqua  Town  for 
several  months  ;  and  here  was  born  their 
daughter  Mary,  afterwards  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Livingstone. 

In  May,  1821,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moffat  ar- 
rived  at   Lattakoo,    and   commenced   their 


ROBER  T  MOFFA  T.  3 1 1 

work  among  a  people  who  were  "  thor- 
oughly sensual,  and  who  could  rob,  lie,  and 
murder  without  any  compunctions  of  con- 
science, as  long  as  success  attended  their 
efforts." 

In  1822  Moffat  wrote  :  "  They  turn  a  deaf 
ear  to  the  voice  of  love,  and  scorn  the 
doctrines  of  salvation,  but  affairs  in  general 
assume  a  more  hopeful  aspect.  They  have 
in  several  instances  relinquished  the  bar- 
barous system  of  commandoes  for  stealing 
cattle.  They  have  also  dispensed  with  a 
rain-maker  this  season." 

A  little  later  in  the  same  year,  Robert 
Moffat  said,  "Mary,  this  is  hard  work,  and 
no  fruit  yet  appears  ;  "  and  his  wife  wisely 
answered,  "  The  gospel  has  not  yet  been 
preached  to  them  in  their  own  tongue  in 
which  they  were  born."  Froni  that  time 
Moffat  devoted  himself  to  the  acquisition 
of  the  language,  and  for  that  purpose  he 
often  visited  tribes  remote  from  his  station. 

No  words  can  tell  of  the  labors  of 
Robert  and  Mary  Moffat  in  these  early 
days.      In  addition   to  privations,  discour- 


312  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

agements,  and  loss  of  property,  their  lives 
were  often  in  danger.  Once,  when  no  rain 
fell,  these  missionaries  were  accused  of 
causing  the  drought,  and  at  the  point  of  the 
spear  were  told  to  leave  the  land.  Throw- 
ing open  his  waistcoat,  Robert  Moffat  said 
(fortified  by  the  courage  of  his  wife,  who 
stood  at  the  door  of  their  cottaee  with  her 
baby  in  her  arms),  "  If  you  will,  drive  your 
spear  to  my  heart.  W^e  know  )'ou  will 
not  touch  our  wives  and  children."  The 
w^ould-be  murderers  turned  away,  saying, 
"  These  men  must  have  ten  lives,  when 
they  are  so  fearless  of  death."  The  good 
will  of  the  tribe  was  at  last  gained  by  the 
able  efforts  of  the  missionaries  in  planning 
a  defence  against  the  Mantatees,  who  at- 
tacked the  station  with  murderous  intent. 
Deeply  sensible  of  the  kindness  of  the  Mof- 
fats,  who  might  at  this  time  have  retired  to 
the  colony,  the  Bechwanas  gave  their  con- 
sent to  moving  the  station  to  a  place  eight 
miles  distant,  at  the  source  of  the  river 
Kuruman.  In  view  of  proper  remu- 
neration,   the    Bechwana    chiefs    arranged 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  313 

that  two  miles  of  the  Kuruman  Valley 
should  henceforth  be  the  property  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  and  that  the 
new  station,  "  Kuruman,"  should  here  be 
established. 

Referrinor  to  this  time,  Robert  Moffat 
afterwards  said  :  "  Our  situation  durino- 
the  infancy  of  the  new  station,  language 
cannot  describe.  We  were  compelled  to 
work  daily  at  every  species  of  labor." 
Notwithstandinor  all  difficulties,  this  earnest 
man  made  considerable  progress  towards 
establishino-  a  literature  in  the  Sechwana 
tongue.  A  spelling-book  and  catechism 
were  prepared,  and  sent  to  England  to  be 
printed.  In  1826,  having  moved  into  his 
new  dwelling,  built  of  stone,  and  the 
country  being  comparatively  free  from 
danger,  Moffat  left  his  family,  and  went 
for  a  time  to  live  among-  the  Barolono^s, 
that  he  might  become  proficient  in  the 
Sechwana  lancjuaofe.  While  amonor  these 
tribes,  the  missionary  sought  every  oppor- 
tunity to  impart  Christian  instruction  to 
the  people. 


314  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Ten  years  the  Moffats  labored  without 
seeing  any  results,  when  suddenly,  without 
apparent  cause,  a  great  religious  interest 
arose  among  the  natives ;  the  little  chapel 
became  too  small  to  hold  the  numbers  who 
came  to  receive  the  gospel.  By  voluntary 
aid,  a  new  building,  fifty-one  feet  by  six- 
teen feet,  with  clay  walls  and  thatched 
roof,  was  erected,  and  served  as  school- 
house  and  place  of  worship  until  the  large 
stone  church  was  completed,  A  change  of 
habits  instantly  followed  this  awakening. 
Mrs.  Moffat  was  called  upon  to  open  a  sew^- 
ing-school,and  motley  were  the  groups  gath- 
ered about  her,  all  anxious  to  form  garments 
to  wear,  although  jackets,  trousers,  and 
gowns  had  never  before  adorned  their  forms. 

When  a  friend  at  home  wrote  to  Mary 
Moffat,  askinor  what  could  be  sent  her  that 
would  be  of  use,  the  answer  was,  "  Send  a 
Communion  service  ;  it  will  be  wanted." 
At  that  time  there  were  no  converts  and 
no  "  glimmer  of  day."  Three  years  later, 
a  hundred  and  twenty  were  present  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  the  first  among  the 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  315 

Bechwanas  ;  and  the  day  previous  there 
arrived  a  box  which  contained  the  Com- 
munion vessels  which  the  faith  of  Mrs. 
Moffat  had  led  her  to  ask  for  before  there 
was  a  single  inquirer. 

In  the  fall  of  1829  two  envoys  came 
from  Mosilikatse,  King  of  the  Matabele,  to 
learn  about  the  manners  and  teachings  of 
the  white  men.  Later,  Mr.  Moffat  visited 
this  tribe,  was  kindly  received,  and  told  to 
them  the  story  of  the  Resurrection.  In 
June,  1830,  Moffat  had  finished  the  trans- 
lation of  St.  Luke  ;  and  to  get  this  printed, 
and  to  place  their  two  eldest  children  at 
school,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moffat  went  to  Cape 
Town.  Here  Robert  Moffat  acquired  a  fair 
knowledge  of  printing,  and  applied  himself 
so  assiduously  to  the  work,  that  a  severe 
illness  followed.  This  and  the  birth  of  an- 
other daughter  delayed  the  missionaries ; 
but  in  June,  183 1,  they  returned  to  Kuru- 
man,  and  took  with  them  an  edition  of  St. 
Luke,  and  a  hymn-book  in  Sechwana,  a 
printing-press,  and  liberal  subscriptions  for 
the  erection   of   the  mission-church.     The 


3l6  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

timber  for  this  church  was  cut  and  col- 
lected under  supervision  of  Mr.  Hamilton 
and  Mr.  Edwards,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  the  Kuruman  Station,  and 
brouofht  there  in  ox-teams.  This  church 
was  opened  November,  1838,  and  nine 
hundred  people  were  in  attendance  at  the 
first  service  ;  the  following  Sunday  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  members  celebrated  the 
Lord's  Supper, 

In  the  spring  of  1839  Robert  Moffat 
completed  the  translation  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  for  purposes  of  printing 
went  to  England  with  his  wife,  after  an 
absence  of  twenty-two  years.  During  the 
voyage  another  daughter  was  born  to 
them,  and  their  son  Jamie,  six  years  old, 
died.  The  Moffats  received  a  very  warm 
welcome  in  England ;  and  at  this  time 
"  a  wave  of  missionary  enthusiasm  "  swept 
over  the  country,  and  great  was  the 
demand  for  Mr.  Moffat  to  address  pub- 
lic meetings.  While  in  Eno-land,  it  was 
thought  best  to  add  the  Psalms  to  the 
Sechwana  edition  of  the  New  Testament ; 


A' OBERT  MOFFA  T.  3  1 7 

and  with  characteristic  energy,  Moffat  im- 
mediately began  the  work  of  translating, 
and  sent  to  Ross  and  David  Livingstone, 
then  at  Bechwana  Mission,  six  thousand 
copies  of  the  new  work.  Moffat  then 
wrote  his  well-known  book,  "  Missionary 
Labors  and  Scenes  in  South  Africa  ;  "  and 
it  was  not  until  January,  1843,  that  he  and 
Mrs.  Moffat  sailed  for  Africa.  The  na- 
tives at  Kuruman  received  them  with  un- 
bounded joy. 

Soon  after  their  return  their  eldest 
daughter,  Mary,  was  married  to  David 
Livingstone,  and  went  with  him  to  Chon- 
wane.  Affairs  at  the  Kuruman  were  now 
very  prosperous.  Moffat  worked  steadily 
at  translation ;  Mrs.  Moffat,  his  faithful 
helpmate,  leaving  him  only  to  visit  the 
Livingstones  and  to  go  to  Cape  Town 
with  her  youngest  children,  who  were 
eoino-  to  England  to  be  educated.  In 
1856  Moffat  completed  his  translation  of 
the  entire  Bible,  a  work  of  thirty  years. 

"  I  felt  it  to  be  an  awful  thing,"  he  says, 
"  to  translate  the  Book  of  God.     When  I 


3l8  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

had  finished  the  last  verse,  I  could  hardly 
believe  that  I  was  in  the  world,  so  difficult 
was  it  for  me  to  realize  that  my  work  of 
so  many  years  was  completed.  A  feeling 
came  over  me  as  if  I  should  die.  .  .  .  My 
heart  beat  like  the  strokes  of  a  hammer. 
.  .  .  My  emotions  found  vent  by  my  fall- 
ing- on  my  knees,  and  thanking  God  for 
his  erace  and  goodness  for  o-ivino;-  me 
strength  to  accomplish  my  task." 

At  this  time  Livingstone  was  in  Eng- 
land ;  and,  as  a  result  of  his  accounts,  the 
directors  wrote  to  Robert  Moffat  asking 
him  to  go  for  twelve  months  to  Matabele. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had  worked  for 
the  company  forty-one  years,  and  was  then 
sixty-two  years  old,  Robert  Moffat  left  his 
home  at  Kuruman,  and  started  for  a  long 
and  toilsome  journey  through  the  African 
desert.  He  spent  many  months  at  "  In- 
yati,"  the  seat  of  the  missions  of  the  Mata- 
bele, and  spared  neither  labor  of  body  nor 
mind.  In  June,  i860,  feeling  the  station 
was  well  established,  he  returned  to  Kuru- 
man.    In    1862    Robert    and  Mary  Moffat 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  3T9 

suffered  severe  bereavement  in  the  death 
of  their  son  Robert,  and  of  their  daughter 
Mary  Livingstone.  In  1868,  having  estab- 
hshed  his  son,  the  Rev.  John  Moffat,  at 
Kuruman,  Robert  Moffat  determined,  re- 
luctantly, to  accept  the  directors'  invitation 
to  return  to  England.  On  Sunday,  March 
20,  1870,  he  preached  for  the  last  time  in 
the  Kuruman  church ;  and  the  following 
Friday  "  Ramary  "  and  "  Mamary,"  as  the 
dearly  beloved  missionary  and  his  wife 
were  called,  left  the  home  in  which  they 
had  so  long  and  so  faithfully  labored,  amid 
a  pitiful  wail  from  the  natives,  whose  hearts 
were  wrunor  with  orenuine  sorrow. 

July  24,  1870,  Robert  and  Mary  Moffat 
arrived  in  England,  after  an  absence  of 
over  fifty  years,  during  which  time  they  had 
visited  their  native  land  but  once.  They 
were  welcomed  everywhere  with  marked 
cordiality,  and  on  his  birthday  a  thousand 
pounds  was  given  Mr.  Moffat.  A  few 
months  after  their  return  Mary  Moffat  died. 
Her  last  words  were  a  prayer  for  her  hus- 
band, that  he  might  be  given  strength  to 
bear  her  loss.     Fifty-three  years  she   had 


320  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

faithfully  shared  his  labors.  In  1872  sev- 
eral thousand  pounds  were  subscribed  for 
a  training-school  for  natives  in  Bechwana ; 
and  the  directors  honored  their  veteran 
missionary  by  calling  it  the  "  Moffat  Insti- 
tute." Later  his  friends  gave  to  Robert 
Moffat  five  thousand  pounds,  a  liberal 
competency  for  himself  and  his  widowed 
daughter,  Mrs.  Fredoux.  In  1874  Mr. 
Mofi"at  was  called  upon  to  identify  the  re- 
mains of  his  son-in-law,  Dr.  Livingstone, 
who  had  died  in  Central  Africa.  In  1876 
Mr.  Moffat  was  entertained  by  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  and  by  the  Rev. 
Newman  Hall,  where  he  met  Mr.  Glad- 
stone. In  1877  he  visited  Paris,  and 
addressed  four  thousand  Sunday-school 
children. 

The  last  four  years  of  his  life  were'  spent 
at  Park  Cottage,  Leigh,  near  Tunbridge. 

On  the  loth  of  August,  1883,  in  his 
eighty-eighth  year,  he  passed  peacefully  to 
rest. 

"  His  count  of  years  was  full ; 
His  allotted  task  was  wrought." 

As  a  fitting  close  to  this  sketch  I  quote 


ROBERT  MOFFAT.  32 1 

from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Thompson, 
D.D.,  of  Boston,  who  was  present  at  the 
World's  Missionary  Conference  in  London 
in  1878:  — 

"  *  Nothing  but  a  missionary ! '  But  the  man 
who  gave  that  toss  of  tlie  head  and  that  half  scorn- 
ful look  should  cast  an  eye  down  the  long  centre 
aisle  of  the  hall  at  Mildmay  Park.  ,  Whom  do  we 
see  coming  up  the  aisle  —  a  son  of  Anak  in  stature, 
erect,  his  features  strongly  marked,  his  venerable 
locks  and  long  white  beard  adding  majesty  to  his 
appearance  .-'  On  discovering  him  the  whole  great 
audience  rise  spontaneously  to  their  feet.  A  Wes- 
leyan  brother  with  powerful  voice  is  in  the  midst  of 
an  address ;  yet  no  one  heeds  him  till  the  patriarch 
has  taken  a  seat  on  the  platform.  Who  is  the  old 
man  ?  Is  it  the  Earl  of  Beaconsfield  ?  Is  it  Mr. 
Gladstone  ?  There  is  but  one  other  person  in  the 
realm,  I  take  it,  to  whom,  under  the  circumstances, 
such  a  united  and  enthusiastic  tribute  would  be 
paid,  and  that  because  she  is  on  the  throne.  This 
hoary-headed  man  is  the  veteran  among  South 
African  missionaries.  He  went  out  to  the  Dark 
Continent  more  than  sixty  years  before  (i8i6).  He 
is  now  eighty-three  ;  his  name  Robert  Moffat.  .  .  . 
With  a  voice  still  strong  and  musical  he  addresses 
the  assembly  for  twenty  or  more  minutes.  The  man 
who  preaches  to  a  larger  congregation  than  any  other 
in  London  once  said  that,  when  he  saw  the  veteran 
Moffat,  he  felt  inclined  to  sink  into  his  shoes." 


XX. 

WILLIAM  McCLURE    THOMSON. 

Missionary  in  Syria. 
Born  Dec.  31,  1806;  Died  Aprii,  8,  1894. 


WILLIAM    M.   THOMSON. 


XX. 

WILLIAM  McCLURE    THOMSON: 

"  The  Land  and  the  Book  !  "  Who  that 
loves  the  Book  of  books  has  not  longed  to 
wander,  at  least  in  fancy,  over  the  land  of 
its  birth,  and  through  familiarity  with  its 
scenes,  its  customs,  its  history,  gain  clearer 
understanding  of  its  meaninor?  And  who 
that  has  mentally  traversed  that  sacred 
country  under  the  guidance  of  the  veteran 
missionary,  William  M.  Thomson,  has  not 
wished  for  closer  acquaintance  with  a  man 
whose  life  was  bound  up  in  the  country  ot 
his  adoption  ? 

To  know  him  well,  intimately,  was  to  ad- 
mire and  love  him.  He  came  of  sturdy 
ScotchTrish  stock,  inheriting  therefrom 
an  indomitable  persistency  that  carried 
him  over  many  obstacles,  and,  added  to 
his    natural    capacity    for    research,    made 

325 


326  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

him     indefaticrable    in    his    archaeoloofical 
studies. 

His  father  was  the  Rev.  John  Thomson, 
who  went  from  Ohio  to  Kentucky  in  the 
early  part  of  this  century;  but  so  strong- 
were  the  anti-slavery  principles  of  both 
himself  and  his  wife  that  they  found  it  im- 
possible to  live  in  a  slave  State,  and  re- 
turned to  Ohio.  There,  in  the  little  villag-e 
of  Springfield  (now  Spring  Dale),  near 
Cincinnati,  William  McClure  Thomson  was 
born,  on  Dec.  31,  1806.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  graduated  from  the  Miami 
University,  and  then  entered  Princeton  , 
Theological  Seminary,  where  he  was  one 
of  the  pupils  of  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander. 

He  did  not  graduate  from  the  Seminary. 
He  had  given  himself  to  mission-work,  and 
the  call  was  pressing.  His  license  to 
preach  was  granted  him  ;  and,  under  the 
direction  of  the  American  Board,  he  sailed 
for  Syria,  reaching  Beirut  Feb.  24,  1833. 
With  him  was  his  wife,  formerly  Miss  Eliza 
Nelson  Hanna,  whose  tragic  death  at  Jeru- 
salem was  so  soon  to  follow. 


WILLIAM  MCCLURE    THOMSON.  32/ 

The  young-  missionaries  were  stationed 
at  once  at  that  place,  and  entered  upon 
their  work  with  zeal ;  but  Syria  was  in  a  dis- 
turbed condition,  and  the  following  year 
the  troubles  between  the  people  of  Syria 
and  Ibrahim  Pasha  (son  of  the  famous  Mo- 
hammed Ali)  culminated  in  open  warfare. 
Dr.  Thomson  had  started  on  a  tour  to 
Jaffa,  expecting  to  be  absent  only  a  short 
time,  but  was  arrested  as  a  spy  by  Ibrahim, 
and  detained  forty  days.  Meantime  the 
fighting  in  and  about  Jerusalem  was  very 
severe.  The  few  foreign  residents,  among 
whom  was  Mrs.  Thomson,  were  lodged  in 
a  small  building  directly  beneath  the  walls 
of  the  castle,  which  was  the  main  point  of 
attack  and  defence.  The  cannonading  was 
carried  on  directly  over  their  heads,  day 
and  night,  balls  now  and  then  crashing  into 
the  upper  part  of  the  dwelling,  obliging 
them  all  to  remain  in  a  sort  of  vault  beneath 
the  house,  not  knowing  at  what  moment 
the  walls  mio-ht  come  tumblinof  about  them. 
To  the  terrors  of  the  siege  were  added  those 
of  a  severe  earthquake,  and  Mrs.  Thomson 


328  GREAT  MISSIOA^ARIES. 

received  a  nervous  shock  from  which  she 
never  recovered.  A  journal  letter  written 
to  her  sister  in  America  during  the  siege 
presents  a  vivid  picture  of  the  horrors  of 
those  weeks,  but  is  as  calm  and  even  in  its 
unfaltering  trust  as  if  written  in  the  most 
tranquil  ease. 

After  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  Dr.  Thom- 
son was  released,  but  found  his  wife  criti- 
cally ill,  and  she  lived  but  a  short  time. 

With  his  infant  son  he  then  returned  to 
Beirut,  where  he  subsequently  married 
Mrs.  Abbott,  the  widow  of  a  former  British 
consul  for  Syria.  Here,  in  1837,  the  first 
boarding-school  for  boys  in  the  Turkish 
Empire  was  opened  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  Thomson  and  Mr.  Hebard. 

A  little  later  he  was  appointed  one  of 
two  to  form  a  mission  station  in  Lebanon, 
and  resided  in  Abeih,  where  he  passed 
through  the  wars  between  Druses  and 
Maronites  in  1843  ^i''<^  1845.  He  was 
looked  upon  as  a  friend  by  both  parties, 
and  by  his  influence  brought  about  a  truce 
which  enabled  the  British  Consul-General, 


WILLIAM  MCCLURE    THOMSON:  329 

the  late  Sir  Hugh  Rose  (Lord  Strathnairn), 
to  bring  away  the  Maronites  to  Beirut,  thus 
preventing  a  general  massacre  of  Maronite 
Christians. 

About  the  year  1850  he  removed  to 
Sidon,  where  he  was  stationed  for  several 
years,  extending  his  missionary  labors  to 
Hermon,  Ijon,  and  vicinity,  and  to  the 
region  east  of  Tyre.  While  at  this  point 
he  received,  in  1858,  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Wabash  College.  In  i860,  having 
returned  to  Beirut,  he  co-operated  with 
Lord  Dufferin,  the  representative  of  the 
allied  forces,  in  adjusting  matters  after  the 
massacres  of  Damascus,  Hasbeiyeh,  and 
Deir  el  Quamar. 

But  the  culmination  of  his  labors  was 
"  The  Land  and  the  Book,"  that  magnifi- 
cent work  of  which  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra 
said  :  "If  the  Syrian  mission  had  produced 
no  other  fruit,  the  churches  which  have 
supported  it  would  have  received  in  this 
book  an  ample  return  for  all  they  have  ex- 
pended. The  plan  of  the  book  is  unique. 
It  is  a  book  of  travels,  a  book  of  conversa- 


330  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

tions,  a  running  comment  on  the  Scriptures, 
and  a  pictorial  geography  and  history  of 
Palestine,  all  in  one." 

It  was  first  published,  in  two  volumes,  in 
1859.  In  1876,  having  again  gone  thor- 
oughly over  the  ground  and  collected  much 
new  material,  Dr.  Thomson  went  to  Edin- 
burgh to  supervise  the  issuing  of  the  en- 
larged edition,  described  by  Dr.  Thomas 
Laurie  as  "  not  a  wooden  building  repainted 
and  patched  up  here  and  there,  but  a  stone 
structure  taken  down  to  the  foundation  and 
rebuilt  with  much  new  material  on  a  better 
plan."  The  new  edition,  in  three  volumes, 
was  published  simultaneously  in  New  York 
and  Edinburgh ;  and  its  sales  in  Great  Brit- 
ain have  been  greater  than  those  of  any 
other  American  publication  except  "  Uncle 
Tom's  Cabin." 

Dr.  Thomson  never  returned  to  Syria. 
From  Edinburgh  he  came  to  New  York ; 
but  before  the  third  volume  of  his  work 
was  issued  from  the  press  his  health  began 
to  show  the  effects  of  advancing  years,  and 
it  was  plain  that  his  active  physical  labors 
were  ended. 


WILLIAM  AICCLURE    THOMSON.  33  I 

But  "The  Land  and  the  Book"  by  no 
means  represents  the  sum  total  of  his  Ht- 
erary  labors.  His"  contributions  to  the 
Bibliotheca  Saci'a  were  numerous  and  val- 
uable, covering  a  wide  range  of  subjects. 
Prominent  among  them  was  a  series  of 
articles  on  "  The  Natural  Basis  of  our  Spir- 
itual Language."  He  also  furnished  to 
the  younial  of  the  American  Oriental  So- 
ciety an  extremely  interesting  paper  on 
traces  of  glacial  action  on  Mount  Lebanon. 
\\\  the  variety  and  value  of  his  contribu- 
tions to  the  geography  of  Syria,  he  was 
almost  without  a  peer ;  and  his  co-laborer, 
Dr.  C.  V.  A.  Van  Dyck,  writes:  "From 
the  beginning  of  his  missionary  life  he  vig- 
orously pursued  archaeological  studies  con- 
nected with  the  elucidation  of  Scripture, 
and  became  an  authority  on  these  points." 

The  phrase  "  vigorously  pursued"  is  em- 
inently characteristic  of  the  way  in  which 
he  attacked  whatever  lay  before  him. 
There  was  about  him,  especially  in  his 
youth,  a  vigor  and  even  tempestuousness 
hard  to  realize   by   those   who   knew   him 


332  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

only  in  his  later  years,  when  he  became 
the  embodiment  of  gentleness  and  placid- 
ity. A  laughable  story  illustrating  his 
natural  vehemence  is  told  of  him  by  a  gen- 
tleman who  accompanied  him  on  one  of 
his  tours.  They  had  camped  for  the  night 
on  an  extended  plain  ;  and  the  start  next 
morning  was,  as  always  among  the  Arabs, 
a    scene    of    confusion.      Everything   was 

finally  packed  up,  and  Mr. rode  on, 

expecting  the  rest  of  the  party  to  follow 
almost  immediately.  But  after  some  time, 
becoming  puzzled  by  their  non-appearance, 
he  rode  back  to  ascertain  the  cause.  An 
unreeenerate  mule — the  one  laden  with 
the  kitchen  furniture  —  had,  at  the  last 
moment,  been  possessed  of  an  evil  spirit, 
and  by  a  series  of  such  kicks  and  antics  as 
only  a  Syrian  mule  is  capable  of,  had  scat- 
tered pots,  pans,  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
impedimenta  in  every  direction,  covering 
an  extent  of  country  appalling  to  contem- 
plate. The  muleteers  were  racing  after  it, 
showering  maledictions  upon  it  and  its 
ancestors  back  to  the  time  of  the  progeni- 


WILLIAM  MCCLURE    THOMSON.  333 

tor  who  entered  the  Ark,  while  Dr.  Thom- 
son, in  an  excess  of  righteous  indignation, 
was  exclaiming,  "  I  wish  I  had  a  cannon 
to  shoot  that  mule  !  "  As  nothingf  short 
of  a  cannon  would  have  been  of  the  slight- 
est  service  in  relievinof  his  feelino-s,  and 
that  ponderous  weapon  was  not  at  hand, 
the  lucky  beast  escaped  all  punishment 
save  such  thumps  as  were  bestowed  by  its 
breathless  driver,  when  at  last  he  suc- 
ceeded in  grasping  the  halter. 

In  the  early  part  of  Dr.  Thomson's  mis- 
sionary life  he  kept  careful  journals  of  his 
many  tours  ;  and  these,  which  were  pub- 
lished in  the  Missionary  Herald,  contain 
much  of  absorbing  interest,  and  afford 
glimpses  of  the  different  phases  of  his 
many-sided  character.  In  one  of  these 
journals  is  the  following  description  of  a 
sunrise  over  Lebanon  :  — 

"  While  spending  the  hot  months  of  summer  at 
Brumana,  Mr.  Hebard  and  myself  devoted  a  day  to 
rambling  over  this  goodly  mountain ;  and  to  me  it 
was  a  delightful  excursion.  We  were  early  abroad, 
just  as  Lucifer,  bright  harbinger  of  morning,  rising 


334  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

from  his  dreary  couch,  sat  Uke  a  blazing  diamond 
on  the   hoary  head   of  Lebanon.      We  quickly  de- 
spatched our  little  work  of  preparation,  sipped  our 
hot  coffee,  and  sallied  forth  for  the  day's  adventures. 
How   surpassingly  beautiful    is    the    rosy   dawn    in 
Syria  !     From  the  moment  when  the  advanced  rays 
of  the  sun  begin  to  paint  the  modest  blush  upon  the 
dusky  cheek  of  night,  until  the  king  of  day  comes 
forth  from  his  chamber  in  the  full  majesty  of  his 
rising,  there  is  one  incessant  change  from  beauty  to 
beauty,  yea,  from  glory  to  glory.     The  whole  horizon 
glows  like  burnished  gold,  revealing  the  rocks  and 
crags   and   lofty  peaks  of   Lebanon   throughout  its 
whole    extent.      Every   point    seems    touched    with 
liquid  fire,  gleaming   in   seven-fold  fervency,  while 
the  whole  western  slope,  to  the  very  base,  falling 
into  the  dark  shadow  of   her  lofty  summit,  lay  in 
deepest  contrast  to  the  living  light  above  and  be- 
yond.     Who  can   behold,   and    not    adore  ?     It   is 
God's  own  temple,   and   yonder  comes  his  bright 
messenger  to  call  a  sleeping  world  to  prayer.     Oh, 
come,  let  us  worship  and  bow  down,  let  us  kneel 
before  the  Lord  our  maker.     Let  us  come  before 
his  presence  with  thanksgiving,  and  show  ourselves 
glad  in  him  with  psalms.     For  he  is  the  Lord  our 
God,  and  we  are  the  people  of  his  pasture  and  the 
sheep  of  his  hand." 

It  is  said  that  a  missionary  in  the   Ha- 
waiian Islands,  reading  the  above  descrip- 


WILLIAM  MCCLURE    THOMSON.  335 

tion,  was  so  struck  with  its  poetic  beauty 
that,  by  a  shght  paraphrase,  he  divided  it 
into  Hnes  of  faultless  blank  verse,  with 
scarcely  the  alteration  of  a  word,  and  re- 
turned it  to  be  republished  in  that  form. 
The  succeeding-  passage  of  the  diary, 
though  less  rhythmical,  is  scarcely  less 
striking  in   its   imagery  :  — 

"  Our  morning's  ride  furnished  us  witii  another 
and  very  different  exhibition  of  God's  handiwork. 
The  cool  wind,  loaded  with  the  condensed  vapors 
of  higher  Lebanon,  rushed  down  the  mountain  side, 
dashing  and  bursting,  bounding  and  retreating  from 
perpendicular  cliffs,  filling  up  deep  valleys,  and  then 
pouring  over  the  surrounding  ridges  like  any  other 
fluid.  Thus  these  dark  volumes  rolled  headlong 
towards  the  plain,  until,  meeting  the  warm  air  of  the 
sea,  they  appeared  to  hesitate,  then  stop  altogether, 
and,  vanishing  into  thin  air,  ascend  to  the  cooler 
regions  above,  where,  reappearing,  they  were  seen 
hurrying  back  towards  the  snowy  summits  of  Suh- 
iieen.  This  process  of  decomposing  and  recompos- 
ing  clouds,  and  their  marching  and  counter-marching 
to  the  command  of  contrary  currents  of  air,  is  wit- 
nessed very  frequently  in  Lebanon." 

A  more  fittinof  close  to  this  sketch  can- 
not  be  found  than  in  the  eloquent  tribute 


336  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

given  by  the  Rev.  Henry  H.  Jessup,  D.D., 
of  the  Syrian  Mission,  in  his  address  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Board, 
at  Madison,  Wis.,  Oct.  ii,  1894:  — 

"  Two  of  your  missionaries  were  the  pioneers,  in 
modern  times,  in  Palestine  exploration.  I  need 
hardly  mention  the  names  of  Drs.  William  M. 
Thomson  and  Eli  Smith,  the  latter  as  the  com- 
panion and  co-laborer  of  Dr.  Edward  Robinson, 
in  the  exploration  of  Palestine  and  the  authorship 
of  that  classic,  the  '  Biblical  Researches,'  and  the 
former  the  author  of  that  monumental  work,  '  The 
Land  and  the  Book.' 

"  There  was  a  divine  providence  in  raising  up 
two  such  scholarly  and  accurate  observers  as  Smith 
and  Thomson,  to  traverse  repeatedly  the  whole 
land  of  Syria  and  Palestine,  to  mark  its  moun- 
tains and  valleys,  its  hills  and  ravines,  its  plains 
and  rivers,  its  fountains,  wells,  and  lakes,  its  ruined 
temples,  walls,  fortresses,  bridges,  and  aqueducts ; 
to  gather  its  minerals,  plants,  and  animals ;  to  study 
the  agricultural,  mechanical,  and  domestic  imple- 
ments and  customs  of  the  people,  their  language 
and  salutations,  their  dress  and  ornaments,  their 
buying  and  selling,  and  their  modes  of  travel,  all  of 
which  were,  at  that  time,  still  existing  in  their  patri- 
archal and  scriptural  simplicity ;  yes,  to  observe  all 
these  things  accurately  ;  to  record  them  with  scru- 
pulous  and  scholarly  exactness  ;  and  to  publish  them 


WILLIAM  MCCLURE    THOMSON.  337 

with  conscientious  fidelity,  so  that  their  honest  testi- 
mony as  to  the  correspondence  between  the  histori- 
cal records  of  the  Bible  and  the  actual  places, 
names,  persons,  and  customs  of  modern  Palestine 
might  be  incorporated  in  permanent  form  in  Ameri- 
can and  European  Bible  dictionaries,  encyclopae- 
dias, and  commentaries  before  the  advancing  wave 
of  Western  civilization  —  with  its  wagon-roads,  rail- 
ways, telegraphs,  steam-pumps,  European  languages 
and  dress  —  should  have  obliterated  forever  the 
living  testimony  of  the  present  to  the  dead  and 
vanished  past. 

"  Dr.  Thomson  returned  to  the  United  States  in 
1877,  to  complete  his  great  work,  and  in  1890  took 
up  his  residence  with  his  daughter  in  Denver,  Colo., 
whose  clear  skies  and  towering  mountains,  he  said, 
reminded  him  of  his  beloved  Mount  Lebanon.  In 
that  city  he  remained  until  April  8,  1894,  when,  at 
the  good  old  age  of  eighty-seven,  he  was  summoned 
to  the  heavenly  Canaan,  the  unfading  and  un- 
clouded '  Land  of  Promise,'  by  the  Inspirer  of  the 
'  Book  '  he  had  so  faithfully  labored  to  illustrate 
and  exalt  before  the  minds  of  his  fellow-men," 


XXL 

MARCUS    WHITMAiY,   M.  D. 

Missionary  in  Oregon. 
BoRK  Sept.  4,  1802;  Died  Nov.  29,  1847. 


XXI. 

MARCUS    whitman;  M.D. 

If  the  mafrnitude  of  a  man's  work  is  to 
be  judged  by  its  far-reaching  results, 
surely  that  accomplished  by  Marcus  Whit- 
man, missionary  to  Oregon,  must  take  rank 
amonpf  the  sji-eat  achievements  of  the 
world's  benefactors  ;  and  the  heart  of  every 
true  American  must  throb  with  gratitude 
and  pride  when  he  contemplates  the  ef- 
fects of  this  "  brave  man's  deed  and  word." 
Inspired  by  the  highest  motive,  that  of 
carrying  the  gospel  to  those  in  darkness, 
he  entered  upon  his  work  with  all  the 
enthusiasm  of  his  hardy  and  generous 
nature. 

In  the  year  1832  an  Indian  chief,  who 
had  come  to  St.  Louis  in  search  of  the 
white  man's  "  Book  of  God,"  before  re- 
turning to  his  people,  in  a  farewell  address 

341 


342  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

said  :  "I  came  to  you  over  a  trail  of  many 
moons  from  the  setting  sun.  My  people 
sent  me  to  eet  the  white  man's  Book  of 
Heaven.  You  showed  me  images  of  good 
spirits,  and  pictures  of  the  good  land  be- 
yond, but  the  Book  was  not  among  them  to 
tell  me  the  way.  .  .  .  My  people  will  die 
in  darkness,  and  they  will  go  on  the  trail  to 
the  other  huntino^-o-rounds.  No  white  man 
will  go  with  them,  and  no  white  man's  book 
to  make  the  way  plain.  I  have  no  more 
words." 

This  speech  was  delivered  to  a  few 
hearers  in  a  store-room  belonging  to  the 
American  Fur  Company,  where  they  were 
gathering  preparatory  to  starting  on  their 
annual  expedition  to  the  far  West,  with 
whom  the  lonely  Indian  was  to  make  his 
return  journey.  One  of  the  listeners  in 
this  little  audience  was  a  young  clerk  in 
the  office,  whose  heart  was  moved  by  the 
sad  refrain  ;  and,  when  writing  to  his  friend 
in  Pittsburg,  he  described  the  pathetic 
scene  and  reported  the  speech.  After  a 
time,   when  the   accuracy   of  the   incident 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  343 

had  been  proven,  this  speech  was  given  to 
the  pubHc,  with  the  hope  that  it  might 
arouse  an  interest  in  missionary  enterprise 
among  the  Indians. 

Originating  from  this  pathetic  cry,  the 
call  came  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parker,  a  cul- 
tivated g-entleman  and  devoted  minister  in 
Ithaca,  N.Y.,  who  was  the  first  to  offer 
himself  to  the  American  Board  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  Oregon,  in  1834.  He  went  East 
to  induce  others  to  join  him,  and  there 
found  Dr.  Whitman,  to  whom  the  appeal 
came  as  a  divine  call ;  and  as  a  live  coal 
from  God's  altar  it  kindled  in  his  heart  a 
mighty  zeal,  which  carried  him  through  all 
future  hardships  and  dangers. 

He  was  born  at  Rushville,  N.Y.,  Sept. 
4,  1802,  and  was  "  reared  amid  the  envi- 
ronments of  a  pioneer  home,  and  made 
familiar  with  the  privations  incident  to  such 
a  life."  He  received  the  best  possible  re- 
ligious training  from  his  parents  at  home  ; 
and  after  the  death  of  his  father,  which 
occurred  when  Marcus  was  only  eight  years 
of  age,   it  was  continued  with  scrupulous 


344  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

care  by  his   grandfather,   Deacon   Samuel 
Whitman,  of  Plainville,  Mass. 

He  began  study,  having  the  ministry  in 
view,  but,  on  account  of  physical  ailments, 
turned  to  the  study  of  medicine,  and  in 
due  time  received  his  degree  of  M.D. 

Dr.  Whitman  was  past  thirty  years  of 
aee  when  his  thoua-hts  were  turned  toward 
Oregon.  He  had  spent  four  years  in  the 
practice  of  medicine,  and  some  years  in 
business,  having  been  part  owner  with  his 
brother  of  a  sawmill,  an  experience  most 
valuable  in  later  years  in  his  missionary 
work. 

Mr.  Parker  and  Dr.  Whitman  started  for 
Oregon  in  the  summer  of  1835,  travelling 
with  the  party  sent  out  by  the  American 
Fur  Company,  as  far  as  Green  River  in 
Wyoming.  This  was  the  terminus  of  the 
Fur  Company's  route,  and  a  meeting-place 
for  traders,  trappers,  and  a  multitude  of  In- 
dians from  all  parts  of  the  great  wilderness. 
Here  they  came  annually  to  exchange  their 
year's  collection  of  furs  for  the  necessities 
and  luxuries  of  life,  brought  overland  by 


MARCUS    WHITMAX,   M.D.  345 

the  company  from  the  States.  During 
their  stay  of  several  days  here,  through 
intercourse  with  these  various  representa- 
tives of  the  wild  country  to  which  they 
were  bound,  and  with  the  knowledge  they 
had  gained  on  their  long  journey,  the  mis- 
sionaries were  able  to  more  fully  compre- 
hend the  nature  and  macjnitude  of  the 
work  which  they  were  about  to  undertake. 
They  now  realized  that  a  stronger  force  and 
better  equipment  were  necessary.  It  was 
therefore  decided  that  Dr.  Whitman  should 
return  to  the  East  with  the  company's  party, 
and  secure  re-enforcements  ;  while  Mr.  Par- 
ker should  proceed  to  Oregon,  and  select 
suitable  locations  for  the  three  missions 
which  they  proposed  to  establish.  Dr. 
Whitman  took  with  him  three  Nez  Perces 
boys,  and,  returning  to  central  New  York, 
made  an  earnest  effort  to  enlist  the  interest 
of  his  friends. 

He  now  saw,  as  he  was  entering  upon 
his  life-work,  that  an  important  factor  in 
this  new  mission  must  be  the  Christian 
home  ;  and  before  going  West  again  he  was 


346  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

married  to  Miss  Narcissa  Prentice,  daughter 
of  Judge  Stephen  Prentice  of  Prattsburg, 
N.Y.,  who  is  described  as  "a  handsome, 
refined,  and  accomphshed  young  lady,  a 
beautiful  singer,  and  possessing  the  spirit 
of  a  true  heroine."  The  marriau;e  occurred 
in  March,  and  the  next  month  they  started 
on  their  lone  weddinof-tour. 

With  them  also  went  the  Rev.  H.  H. 
Spaulding  and  his  )-oung  bride,  and  Mr. 
Wm.  H.  Gray,  the  latter  going  as  mechanic 
and  business  aQ^ent  for  the  mission.  These 
two  heroic  women  —  the  first  to  cross  the 
Rocky  Mountains  —  little  realized  at  that 
time  the  full  significance  of  their  journey 
to  Oreo-on.  To  them  it  meant  reachinor 
the  heathen  with  a  messao^e  ;  to  us  it 
meant  a  vastly  enlarged  territory  and 
an  entire  change  in  the  character  of  its 
population. 

An  immense  section  of  the  Pacific  coast, 
consistingf  of  about  three  hundred  thou- 
sand  square  miles,  had  for  years  been  in 
possession  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
who,  with  their  forts  and  trading-posts,  had 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  ^Al 

driven  out  eleven  fur  companies  who  had 
sought  to  estabhsh  trade  in  that  country. 
It  was  a  powerful  monopoly,  whose  policy 
was  to  keep  the  country  in  its  present  wild 
state  for  the  sake  of  the  fur  products. 
Consequently,  all  immigration  of  families 
from  the  East  was  discouraged. 

When  these  missionary  families  crossed 
the  mountains,  and  opened  the  way  for 
others  to  follow,  it  was  the  beginning  of  a 
new  era  —  the  establishment  of  a  civiliza- 
tion which  was  entirely  to  displace  the 
unnatural  and  peculiar  social  order  then 
existing^. 

Much  had  been  said  to  discourage  their 
undertakingr.  It  is  said  that  advice  to  turn 
back,  warnings  as  well  as  prayers  and  bene- 
dictions, followed  them  from  place  to  .place 
before  leaving  the  States. 

They  joined  a  group  of  the  American 
Fur  Company  at  Council  Bluffs,  and  con- 
tinued with  them  to  the  end  of  the  route 
at  Green  River.  These  men  at  first  were 
not  pleased  at  the  idea  of  admitting  ladies 
into  their  caravan.     They  did  not  think  it 


348  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

possible  for  them  to  endure  the  wearisome 
and  perilous  journey ;  but,  on  account  of 
the  valuable  medical  services  rendered  by 
Dr.  Whitman  on  his  previous  trip,  they 
eave  consent.  All  throuoj'h  the  lono-  jour- 
ney,  these  noble  and  high-minded  women 
were  treated  with  the  greatest  deference 
by  the  men  of  the  company,  who  tried  in 
every  possible  way  to  lessen  the  hardships 
of  the  trip.  Mrs.  Spaulding  suffered  much 
from  fatigue,  and  it  was  feared  at  one  time 
that  she  would  not  live,  as  she  was  taken 
faintinof  from  her  saddle  ;  but  her  courao^e 
was  phenomenal,  and  carried  her  through. 
One  of  the  rough  men  said,  in  speaking  of 
these  brave  women,  "There  is  something 
which  the  Honorable  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany cannot  expel  from  the  country." 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  they  reached  the 
famous  South  Pass,  Nature's  gateway 
through  the  mighty  wall,  which  she  has 
kindly  left,  that  the  country  may  not  be 
divided. 

This  is  an  interesting  spot,  where  two 
rivers,  one  flowino-  toward  the  Pacific,  the 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  349 

Other  toward  the  Atlantic,  have  their  source 
within  half  a  mile  of  each  other.  Here 
upon  a  rock  are  carved  the  names  of  noted 
travellers,  such  as  "Fremont,  1843,"  and 
"  Stanbury,  1849."  Barrows,  in  his  history 
of  Oregon,  says,  "  It  may  give  information 
and  divide  honors  with  the  '  Pathfinder '  to 
add  '  Mesdames  Whitman  and  Spaulding, 
1836.'"  Six  years  before  a  company  of 
United  States  engineers  had  seen  this  pass, 
two  women  had  gone  through. 

When  they  had  crossed  the  Continental 
Divide,  and  were  on  the  Pacific  side  of 
the  slope,  the  missionary  party  dis- 
mounted, planted  the  American  flag,  and, 
kneelinof  on  their  blankets  about  the 
"  Book,"  with  prayer  and  praise  they  took 
possession  of  the  western  slope  for  Christ 
and  the  Church.  This  w^as,  indeed,  a  most 
siornificant  action  when  viewed  in  the  lioht 
of  subsequent  history.  The  Rev.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  in  speaking  of  this  scene,  says, 
"  How  strongly  it  evidences  their  faith  in 
their  mission,  and  the  conquering  power 
of  the  King  of  peace.     A  scene  truly  in- 


350  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

spiring  to  contemplate,  and  worthy  a  place 
on  the  canvas  among  the  masterpieces  of 
the  world's  great  artists."  It  was  an  act,  the 
far-reaching  consequences  of  which  secured 
to  the  United  States  three  hundred  thou- 
sand square  miles  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 

A  few  days  more  of  travel  brought  them 
to  Green  River  and  to  the  annual  gather- 
ing,  the  fair  and  festival  of  the  mountains. 
To  the  ladies  this  was  a  novel  experience. 
The  Indian  wigwams  stretchinor  for  three 
miles  along  the  river,  the  encampment  of 
trappers  and  traders,  with  about  twenty 
citizens,  including  the  missionary  families, 
making  in  all  fifteen  hundred  persons.  To 
man}^  of  these  rough  trappers,  whose  home 
for  twenty-five  years  had  been  in  the  depths 
of  these  forests  and  in  the  canons  of  the 
mountains,  it  was  also  a  novel  experience 
to  meet  a  lady  ;  and  many  of  them  were 
moved  to  tears,  being  reminded  of  loved 
ones  far  away  in  the  old  home.  One  of 
these  men,  years  after,  said,  "  From  that 
day,  when  I  took  the  hand  of  a  civilized 
woman  again,  I  was  a  better  man." 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  35 1 

Here  the  party  rested  for  ten  days. 
They  wrote  letters  home,  to  be  sent  back 
with  the  returning  company  of  traders, 
repacked  and  reduced  their  baggage,  and 
prepared  for  their  further  journey. 

Dr.  Whitman  was  warmly  welcomed  by 
the  Indians  whom  he  had  met  there  the 
year  before,  and  who  were  expecting  him 
according  to  promise.  From  this  point  the 
party  were  escorted  by  traders  from  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  on  their  way  back  to 
the  Pacific  coast  from  the  annual  meeting- 

They  next  stopped  at  Fort  Hall,  and 
again  reduced  and  repacked  baggage.  In 
a  few  days  they  reached  Fort  Boise,  where, 
by  the  advice  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, the  doctor  left  his  wagon.  This 
wagon  was  the  first  to  be  taken  farther  than 
Fort  Laramie,  and  it  was  destined  to  play 
a  very  important  part  in  the  history  of 
Oregon  and  the  Pacific  Coast.  "  Whit- 
man's wagon  had  demonstrated  that  women 
and  children  and  household  eoods — the 
family  —  could  be  carried  over  the  plains 
and  mountains  to  Oregon."  If  so,  the 
United  States  wanted   Oregon. 


352  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

The  mission  party  reached  Fort  Walla 
Walla  early  in  September  ;  and  the  long 
journey  of  thirty-five  hundred  miles,  begun 
four  months  before,  was  ended.  Dr.  Whit- 
man established  a  mission  among  the  Cay- 
use  tribe  on  the  Walla  Walla  River,  six 
miles  west  of  the  present  city  of  Walla 
Walla,  eivine  to  the  setdement  the  name 
of  Waiilatpu.  Mr.  Spaulding  settled  at 
Clear  Water,  and  established  another  mis- 
sion amone  the  Nez  Perces  tribe,  a  few 
miles  north  of  the  Kooskooskie  River. 
These  were  two  of  the  sites  which  had 
been  chosen  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Parker,  who, 
after  spending  a  year  in  Oregon,  preparing 
the  way  for  the  missionaries,  returned  to 
his  home  by  way  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 
It  had  been  the  intention  of  the  missiona- 
ries to  establish  one  of  the  missions  among 
the  Flatheads ;  but,  on  account  of  the  un- 
settled condition  of  the  tribe  at  that  time, 
it  was  not  deemed  wise  to  venture  among 
them.  The  Whitmans  were  gladly  wel- 
comed by  the  Cayuse  Indians,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  mission  was  well  established 
and  in  a  prosperous  condition. 


MARCUS    WHITMAA\   M.D.  353 

In  three  years'  time  they  had  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  enclosed, 
of  which  two  hundred  acres  were  in  a 
good  state  of  cultivation.  A  grist-mill 
had  been  constructed,  an  orchard  planted, 
and  their  third  building  was  in  progress 
of  erection.  Fifty  or  more  of  the  Indian 
children  had  been  gathered  into  a  school, 
which  Mrs.  Whitman  taught.  For  six 
years  they  labored,  Mrs.  Whitman  giving 
her  attention  to  the  school  and  general 
work  of  the  mission  and  home  ;  the  doctor 
superintending  the  work  of  the  farm  and 
the  mill,  preaching  and  teaching,  in  addi- 
tion to  a  large  medical  practice  extending 
over  many  square  miles. 

Their  work  was  difficult  and  trying,  as 
these  Indians  were  wild  and  superstitious, 
and  more  averse  to  settled  life  than  were 
many  of  the  tribes  ;  yet  a  large  number  of 
them  had  been  induced  to  eng-aofe  in  ao-ri- 
culture. 

In  the  fall  of  1842  the  two  missions, 
which  had  been  re-enforced  by  two  other 
missionaries,    held    their    annual    business 


354  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

meetinof  at  this  station.  While  it  was  in 
pi-ogress  Dr.  Whitman  was  called  to  attend 
a  patient  at  Fort  Walla  Walla,  twenty-five 
miles  distant.  This  was  an  important  trad- 
ing-post, the  fort  belonging  to  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company.  Here  hospitality  was  dis- 
pensed most  generously  to  all  travellers  ; 
and  it  chanced  at  this  time  that  there  was 
an  unusually  large  and  congenial  company 
present.  Twenty  or  more  of  their  men 
had  arrived  that  day  in  charge  of  boats 
laden  with  Indian  goods.  ♦  These,  with 
their  traders  and  clerks,  made  a  large  com- 
pany, in  which  Dr.  Whitman  was  the  only 
representative  of  the  United  States. 

While  they  were  seated  at  dinner  a  mes- 
seneer  arrived  and  announced  to  the  com- 
pany  that  a  colony  of  British  settlers  from 
the  Red  River  had  crossed  the  mountains, 
and  were  then  about  three  hundred  miles 
up  the  Columbia  River.  This  announce- 
ment was  hailed  with  many  expressions  of 
delight,  and  congratulations  passed  from 
one  to  another;  when,  in  the  excitement,  a 
young  priest  arose,  and,  waving  his  cap  in 


MARCUS    WHITIj/IAAr,   M.D.  355 

the  air,  cried  "  Hurrah  for  Oregon  ;  Amer- 
ica is  too  late,  and  we  have  eot  the  coun- 
try  !  "  To  Dr.  Whitman  this  was  not  an 
entirely  new  revelation  of  the  state  of 
affairs.  He  had  been  impressed,  six  years 
before,  by  the  opposition  of  the  company's 
agents  to  his  taking  his  wagon  and  farm- 
ing implements  through  from  Fort  Boise ; 
and  the  same  opposition  had  been  met  by 
a  company  of  immigrants  the  year  before. 
The  president  of  the  company  had  advised 
that  the  Board  would  better  send  travelling 
missionaries  to  the  Indians  and  trappers, 
rather  than  establish  settled  missions. 

This  unguarded  statement  from  the 
young  priest  confirmed  him  in  the  belief 
that  this  company,  since  it  could  not  pre- 
vent immigration,  and  thus  jDreserve  the 
forests  for  hunting-grounds,  had  changed 
its  policy,  and  was  now  seeking  to  bring  in 
British  subjects  to  take  possession  of  the 
country  and  keep  Americans  out.  He  was 
now  thoroughly  aroused  to  the  situation. 
Something  must  be  done,  and  at  once. 
This  information  must  be  carried  to  Wash- 


356  GREAT  AflSSIONARIES. 

ington,  and  colonies  from  the  States  must 
be  brought  in  to  occupy  the  lands,  and 
save  the  country. 

Hastening  to  his  home,  he  called  the 
missionaries  together,  and  explaining  his 
discovery  to  them,  he  announced  his  inten- 
tion of  going  at  once  to  Washington. 
They  did  not  at  first  favor  this  plan  ;  but, 
as  he  was  determined,  their  confidence  in 
the  man  led  them  to  unanimous  approval. 
A  few  years  later  they  were  able  to  see 
the  emergency  as  he  saw  it  then.  Said 
Dr.  Eells,  "It  was  suggested  to  him  that 
this  was  hardly  within  the  legitimate  work 
of  the  mission;  to  which  he  replied,  that 
for  this  emergency  he  "did  not  belong  so 
much  to  the  American  Board  as  to  his 
country,"  Within  twenty-four  hours  from 
the  scene  at  the  dinner-table.  Dr.  Whitman 
was  in  his  saddle  headed  for  Washington, 
havino-  arranged  for  the  care  of  his  wife 
and  the  mission  durinor  his  absence. 

This  memorable  ride  must  take  rank 
with  other  pivotal  events  in  our  history; 
for,  although    it  requires  deeper   thinking 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  35/ 

to  realize  its  full  import,  it  is,  nevertheless, 
unequalled  by  any  similar  exhibition  of 
patriotism,  "  distance,  time,  heroic  daring, 
peril,  suffering,  and  magnificent  conse- 
quences." 

Mr.  Amos  Lovejoy,  who  had  recently 
arrived  with  a  band  of  immigrants  and  a 
guide,  accompanied  Whitman  with  two 
pack  mules  to  carry  supplies.  In  elev-en 
days  they  reached  Fort  Hall,  having  trav- 
elled three  hundred  and  forty  miles.  They 
then  travelled  due  south  to  reach  the  okl 
Santa  Fe  trail,  thinking  to  avoid  the  in- 
tense cold  by  going  that  way.  Their 
course,  in  the  main,  was  in  the  direction 
followed  by  the  present  Utah  Southern 
railroad. 

From  Mr.  Lovejoy's  journal  we  have  the 
following  items  :  — 

"  From  Fort  Hall  to  Fort  Vinta  we  had  terribly 
severe  weather.  Passing  over  the  high  mountains 
we  encountered  a  terrible  snow-storm,  compelling 
us  to  seek  refuge  for  ten  days  in  a  dark  defile. 
While  in  this  defile.  Dr.  Whitman  became  impatient 
to  move  on,  and  against  the  guide's  counsel  they 
started.     For  some  time  they  wandered  in  the  snow, 


358  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

and  the  guide  acknowledged  that  he  was  lost.  In 
the  blinding  snow-storm,  not  knowing  where  to  turn, 
Whitman  gave  up  for  the  first  and  only  time,  but 
suddenly  the  guide  noticed  a  peculiar  movement  of 
one  of  the  mule's  ears.  He  said  that  mule  knew  how 
to  find  the  way  back  to  the  defile  they  had  left.  Giv- 
ing the  reins  to  the  animal,  they  were  led  back  to  the 
refuge,  where  they  found  the  embers  of  their  fire." 

As  soon  as  possible  Whitman  went  back 
to  Fort  Taos,  where  he  procured  another 
guide ;  then  they  pushed  on  again.  At 
one  time  they  came  to  a  river  two  liun- 
dred  yards  wide,  which  was  frozen  over 
about  one-third  the  distance  on  either  side. 
Without  hesitating"  an  instant,  Whitman 
and  his  horse  phinged  in  and  were  soon 
on  the  other  side. 

Dr.  Whitman  reached  St,  Louis  in  due 
time,  dressed  in  liis  buckskin  breeches 
and  fur  garments  ;  and,  hke  a  hero  fresh 
from  the  battle-fiekl,  he  bore  many  marks 
of  the  severity  of  the  weather,  and  the 
hardships  and  perils  through  which  he  had 
passed.  From  St.  Louis  he  went  by  stage 
to    Washington,    arriving   there    March    3, 

1843- 


AIARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  359 

Haste  was  imperative,  and  what  urged 
him  to  press  on  through  driving  storms, 
amid  perils  and  hardships,  was  the  impend- 
ing boundary  treaty  between  Canada  and 
the  United  States.  There  was  danger  of 
Oregon  being  given  away.  Dr.  Whitman 
felt  that  he  must  show  Congress  the  vahie 
of  Oregon,  and  demonstrate  to  that  body 
and  to  those  in  authority  the  possibihties 
of  colonizing  the  region.  He  thought  he 
must  reach  Washington  before  this  treaty, 
which  affected  the  boundary,  was  con- 
cluded. This  he  failed  to  do  in  spite  of 
his  heroic  work  ;  yet  his  journey  was  not  in 
vain,  for  the  treaty  had  not  touched  upon 
the  Oregon  boundary. 

He  therefore  had  time  to  correct  many 
erroneous  ideas  in  regard  to  Oregon,  and 
to  expose  the  scheme  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company  to  capture  the  region  by  coloni- 
zation. To  show  that  information  was 
needed  in  Washington,  we  quote  a  few 
sentences  from  the  debate  in  Congress. 
Said  one,  "  I  would  not  give  a  pinch  of 
snuff  for  the  whole  of  Oregon  for  agricul- 


360  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

tural  purposes,  and  I  thank  God  that  he 
put  the  Rocky  Mountains  between  it  and 
the  east."  Another  said,  "  All  the  gold 
mines  of  Peru  would  not  pay  a  penny  on  a 
pound  of  the  cost  it  would  be  to  build  a 
railroad  across  the  mountains  to  Oreo-on." 

In  Washington,  Dr.  Whitman  called  on 
Daniel  Webster,  who  at  that  time  was 
Secretary  of  State,  and  told  his  thrill- 
ing story.  The  great  statesman  replied, 
"  Wagons  cannot  cross  the  mountains. 
Sir  G.  Simpson,  who  is  here,  affirms  that, 
and  so  do  all  his  correspondents  in  that 
region.  Besides,  I  am  about  trading 
that  worthless  territory  for  some  valuable 
concessions  in  relation  to  the  Newfound- 
land cod-fisheries."  Dr.  Whitman  replied, 
"  Mr.  Webster,  we  want  that  valuable  ter- 
ritory ourselves."  He  then  went  to  Presi- 
dent Tyler,  and  said  the  same  thing.  The 
President  replied,  "  Since  you  are  a  mis- 
sionary, I  will  believe  you ;  and  if  you 
take  your  emigrants  over  there,  the  treaty 
will  not  be  ratified." 

A  secondary  object  of  this  journey  was 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  36 1 


to  lead  back  to  Oregon  a  colony.  By 
doing  so  he  could  settle  by  actual  proof 
the  accessibility  of  that  far  Western  dis- 
trict. On  his  way  to  Washington  he 
published  pamphlets  and  newspaper  arti- 
cles telling  of  this  proposed  party.  In 
every  town  he  passed  through  he  urged 
the  people  to  organize  and  go  West,  and 
meet  him  at  Westport,  Mo.,  when  he 
returned  in  the  spring.  Some  of  his  cir- 
culars went  as  far  south  as  Texas. 

Another  object  of  the  trip  was  to  con- 
sult with  the  American  Board  in  regard  to 
the  missions,  and  to  get  re-enforcements 
and  money.  The  Prudential  Committee 
had  voted  to  give  up  the  mission  station  ; 
but,  after  hearing  Dr.  Whitman's  report, 
"  it  was  resolved  to  sustain  the  opera- 
tions of  the  mission  without  any  material 
change." 

When  he  reached  Westport,  which  was 
the  starting-point  of  Western  immigration, 
he  found  a  company  of  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-one  persons  with  a  hundred  and 
eleven  wagons  and  two  thousand  head  of 


362  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

cattle  and  horses,  ready  to  start  on  the 
long  journey,  in  response  to  his  appeal 
made  on  the  way  East.  "  On  that  jour- 
ney," says  Mr.  Spaulding,  "  Dr.  Whitman 
was  their  everywhere-present  angel  of 
mercy,  ministering  to  the  sick,  helping  the 
weary,  encouraging  the  wavering,  cheer- 
ing the  mothers,  mending  wagons,  setting 
broken  bones,  finding  stray  oxen  ;  now  in 
the  rear,  now  in  the  centre,  now  in  front, 
looking  out  fords  ;  in  the  dark  mountains 
working  out  passages  at  noontide  or  at 
midnio-ht,  as  thouMi  these  were  his  own 
children  and  these  wao^ons  and  flocks  his 
own  property."  The  entire  company 
reached  Oregon  in  safety. 

As  is  often  the  case  with  our  greatest 
benefactors,  and  those  that  live  in  advance 
of  their  times,  it  was  not  given  Dr.  Whit- 
man to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  own  magnifi- 
cent achievements.  That  which  gave  him 
the  greatest  joy  and  satisfaction  because 
of  its  promise  of  greatest  ultimate  good  to 
the  people  for  whom  he  was  giving  his 
life  without  stint,  was  one  of  the  causes  of 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  363 

his  own  destruction.  The  colony  which 
'  he  had  been  instrumental  in  raising  and 
brineinof  throucrh,  that  crreat  advance- 
Q-uard  of  civilization  which  was  to  follow, 
and  thus  secure  and  save  Oregon,  was  not 
pleasing  to  the  Indian.  He  saw  in  it  the 
melting  away  of  his  own  tribe.  The  In- 
dian had  always  been  averse  to  civiliza- 
tion. He  did  not  object  to  the  trappers, 
for  they  entered  into  Indian  life  and  cus- 
toms, and  troubled  them  not  by  visions  of 
a  better  life.  The  traders  were  also  wel- 
comed ;  for  they  furnished  a  little  variety 
to  their  lives,  and  brought  rude  comforts 
to  them,  and  eave  them  a  market  for  their 
own  wares.  The  Hudson  Bay  Company 
had  been  welcomed  to  their  country  ;  for 
its  policy  had  always  been  to  court  the 
good-will  of  the  savages,  and  they  had 
opposed  the  setdement  of  the  country, 
and,  with  the  Indians,  wished  to  preserve 
it  as  a  wilderness.  Nor  did  the  Roman 
Catholic  priest  meet  the  same  opposition 
as  did  the  Protestant  missionary  with  his 
family.     The   priest   came  without   family, 


364  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

and  therefore  did  not  seem  to  be  so  much 
in  opposition  to  the  Indian's  wild  Hfe. 

But  Dr.  Whitman  had  brouofht  the  col- 
ony,  and  the  colonists  had  brought  the 
measles  amonof  them.  This  disease  had 
spread  among  the  Indians,  very  many  of 
whom  died  from  it  because  of  their  igno- 
rance in  carinof  for  the  sick.  We  are  told 
that  in  the  height  of  the  fever  the  afflicted 
ones  would  frequently  plunge  into  the 
stream  for  relief,  after  which,  of  course, 
the  doctor's  medicine  could  not  cure. 
Then  said  they,  "  The  doctor  cures  the 
white  man,  but  not  the  Indian  ;  therefore 
the  doctor  gives  the  Indian  poison."  That 
seemed  to  them  eood  reasoninor,  and  it  was 
talked  of  and  brooded  over  until  the  dark 
plot  was  evolved  to  take  the  lives  of  the 
entire  missionary  family  (it  is  the  old 
story) ;  and  so  the  one  who  was  really 
doing  the  most  for  them,  working  day  and 
nieht  to  ofive  them  medical  aid  and  teach 
them  the  way  of  life,  was  looked  upon  by 
them  as  their  worst  enemy. 

Nov.  29,  1847,  occurred  the  massacre  of 


MARCUS    WHITMAN,   M.D.  365 

Dr.  Whitman,  his  noble  wife,  and  twelve 
others,  all  of  whom  belonged  to  the  mis- 
sion. This  was  one  of  the  saddest  events 
in  the  history  of  Oregon  or  the  Pacific 
Coast.  The  doctor  had  attended  the 
funeral  of  an  Indian  in  the  morning,  and, 
returning  to  the  mission-house,  was  caring 
for  his  three  adopted  children,  who  were 
very  ill.  Early  in  the  afternoon,  a  savage 
came  in  the  house  and  called  for  Dr. 
Whitman.  Soon  after,  the  chief,  Ti-lau- 
kait,  came  in  and  engaged  the  doctor  in 
conversation,  w^hile  another  Indian  stole 
in,  and,  with  his  tomahawk,  struck  the 
missionary  a  blow  on  the  head.  We  shall 
not  dwell  upon  this  scene  of  blood  and 
death.  Mrs.  Whitman  was  shot  by  a 
young  Indian  who  had  received  special 
kindness  at  her  hand.  Having  tasted 
blood,  and  their  savage  natures  having 
full  play,  with  clubs,  knives,  and  toma- 
hawks, they  continued  their  work  of  death 
and  torture  eight  days,  until  fourteen  lives 
were  sacrificed. 

Thus  ends  the  life-work  of  Marcus  and 


366  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

Narcissa  Whitman,  two  of  the  most  conse- 
crated, successful,  and  heroic  missionaries 
ever  sent  out  by  any  missionary  society. 
Dr.  Whitman  was  only  forty-five  years  of 
ao-e  when  he  suffered  the  death  of  a  mar- 
tyr,  but  he  had  accomplished  enough  for 
the  life-work  of  one  man.  He  had  saved 
Oreeon  to  the  United  States,  and  given 
the  gospel  to  the  Indians  and  the  white 
pioneers  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  As  a  fitting 
monument  to  the  memory  of  this  heroic 
missionary,  intrepid  pathfinder,  and  far- 
seeing  patriot,  a  Christian  college  has 
been  established  at  Walla  Walla,  Wash., 
which  bears  the  revered  name  of  Marcus 
Whitman. 


XXII. 

BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON. 

Missionary  to  Africa. 
Born  Sept.  3,   1847;  Died  Oct.  28,  1885. 


XXII. 

BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON: 

Bishop  James  Hannington  was  born 
Sept.  3,  1847,  ^t  St.  George,  Hurstpier- 
point,  Eng.  His  infancy  was  passed  amid 
beautiful  surroundings  ;  and  soon  his  baby 
feet  were  chasing  butterflies  and  beetles, 
and  his  eager  eyes  were  searching  for 
mosses  and  flowers.  A  born  naturalist,  to 
the  end  of  his  life  a  new  plant,  a  strange 
insect,  a  geological  specimen,  was  of  in- 
terest ;  and  any  spot  "  whereon  the  wild 
thyme  grew  "  or  "  the  shard-borne  beetle 
wheeled  his  droning  flight,"  w^as  to  his 
mind  a  desirable  place  for  a  holiday. 

The  first  twelve  years  of  his  life  were 
passed  at  home  and  in  travelling,  or  in 
yachting  with  his  father  and  mother.  His 
education  at  this  time,  though  broken  and 
desultory,  had  the  advantage  of  freedom  to 

369 


370  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

think  for  himself,  which,  with  his  unusual 
power  of  observation,  gave  him  "  a  sturdy 
independence  of  character  and  a  knowledge 
of  men  and  things  quite  beyond  those  of 
his  age."  Though  never  wilfully  plotting 
the  same,  he  was  always  in  mischief,  and 
many  are  the  stories  of  his  fearless  and 
wild  adventures.  When  seven  years  old 
he  was  one  day  discovered  on  the  topmast 
of  the  yacht,  suspended  on  some  projec- 
tion. Again,  having  acquired  the  art  of 
making  powder  squibs,  or  "blue  devils," 
he  sought  to  "blow  up  "a  wasp's  nest,  and 
thereby  lost  the  thumb  on  his  left  hand. 

At  thirteen  he  entered  the  Temple  School 
at  Brighton,  and  here  his  volatile  and  mad- 
cap nature  earned  for  him  the  title  of  "  Mad 
Jim ; "  but  his  conscientious  truthfulness 
and  trustworthiness  made  him  the  favorite 
with  boys  and  masters.  He  remained  at 
Brighton  only  two  years,  and  then  left  to 
enter  his  father's  countino-house.  Gener- 
ous,  impulsive,  and  erratic,  he  was  wholly 
unsuited  for  a  commercial  career ;  and  the 
record  of  the  six  years  of  his  business  life 


JAMES   HANNINGTON. 


BISHOP  JAMES  hannington:         T,yi 

show  the  time  to  have  been  filled  with  more 
pleasure  trips  abroad  than  with  work. 

March,  1864,  Hannington's  diary  records 
his  commission  as  second  lieutenant  in  the 
First  Sussex  Artillery  Volunteers.  The 
year  1868  was  eventful  to  him.  On  July  5 
he  received  the  holy  communion  for  the 
first  time,  and  on  Oct.  22  his  name  was 
entered  as  a  commoner  in  the  books  of  St. 
Mary  Hall,  Oxford.  Hannington's  mind 
had  not  been  trained  to  study,  and  it  took 
him  some  time  to  settle  down  into  the 
course  of  the  university  curriculum.  He 
brouorht  much  knowledofe  of  the  world  to 
Oxford ;  and  this,  with  his  geniality  and 
force  of  character,  made  him  popular  with 
all  classes  of  fellow-students.  His  rooms 
at  St.  Mary  Hall  were  filled  with  collections 
from  his  wanderings.  "  Conspicuous  was  a 
portrait  of  his  mother,  a  tall,  handsome  wo- 
man with  much  facial  likeness  to  her  son.  " 

At  times  Hannington  seemed  wholly 
given  over  to  the  spirit  of  fun  ;  and  his  wit 
was  unsparing,  yet  so  good-natured  that  no 
one  could  be  vexed  with  him.     He  entered 


372  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

heartily  into  the  university  sports,  and  was 
so  much  "  master  of  the  revels  "  that  it  is 
not  surprising  the  fall  of  1869  finds  him 
studying  under  a  private  tutor  in  North 
Devon,  whose  cliffs  and  seas,  alas  !  offered 
greater  distractions  even  than  those  of  col- 
lege life.  Returning  to  Oxford,  Hanning- 
ton,  June  12,  1872,  took  his  B.  A.  degree. 
Failing  in  his  first  examination  in  Septem- 
ber, his  ordination  did  not  take  place  until 
the  end  of  1873.  He  immediately  began 
his  duty  as  curate  of  Trentishoe. 

The  rouQfh  work  and  varied  adventures 
of  a  Devonshire  parish  exactly  suited  Han- 
nington.  In  June,  1875,  his  father  pro- 
posed to  him  that  he  should  return  to 
Hurstpierpoint  and  take  charge  of  St. 
George;  and  Aug.  17,  with  a  heavy  heart, 
he  said  good-by  to  his  Devonshire  friends. 
On  Nov.  3,  1875,  he  received  at  Oxford  his 
M.  A.  degree,  and  on  the  7th  preached  his 
introductory  sermon  in  St.  George's  Chapel. 
Here  he  labored  for  seven  years,  little 
known  to  the  world,  but  winning  the  hearts 
of  his  people. 


BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON.  373 

Feb.  10,  1877,  James  Hannlngton's  mar- 
riaee  with  Miss  Hankin-Turvin  was  cele- 
brated.  Glimpses  into  Hannington's  diary 
show  records  of  the  increase  in  the  church 
at  Hurst,  and  mission-work  there  and  in 
neighboring  places.  He  also  speaks  of  the 
birth  of  his  two  sons  and  of  his  daughter, 
and  of  growing  interest  in  foreign  missions, 
and  of  his  decision  to  go  into  Central  Africa 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society.  It  is  impossible  to  depict  the 
real  sorrow  of  his  parishioners,  and  words 
cannot  convey  the  heart-anguish  felt  in  his 
family. 

May  17,  1882,  Hannington  left  London 
in  Steamship  Ouetta  in  company  with 
other  missionaries.  They  sailed  by  way 
of  the  Mediterranean,  and  at  Aden  were 
transferred  into  a  dirty  old  vessel  called 
the  Mecca,  and  reached  the  island  of  Zan- 
zibar, June  19,  in  a  worn-out  condition. 
The  following  Sunday  evening  Mr.  Han- 
nington preached  in  the  cathedral.  The 
time  at  Zanzibar  was  fully  occupied  in  pre- 
paring  for  the   journey   into   the   interior. 


374  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

The  adventures  which  are  now  ecorded 
in  Hannington's  journal  are  indeed  pan- 
oramic. July  17  many  of  die  party  were 
stricken  with  the  scourge  of  African  trav- 
ellers,  the  dreaded  fever.  On  the  21st  the 
caravan  reached  a  church  missionary  sta- 
tion, where  they  were  heartily  welcomed. 

In  a  short  halt  near  Mpwapwa,  Hanning- 
ton  scoured  the  district  to  make  a  collec- 
tion of  its  flora  and  fauna,  specimens  of 
which,  toQfether  with  a  lar^e  collection  of 
birds  and  insects,  he  afterwards  gave  to  the 
British  Museum.  Aug.  6  Hannington  was 
prostrated  wdth  fever ;  but  in  the  march 
next  day  he  refused  to  ride  the  hospital 
donkey,  and  placed  instead  a  w^eary  com- 
panion upon  the  beast.  Aug.  30  the 
party  rested  at  Itura,  where  the  native 
women,  desiring  to  honor  them,  executed 
the  national  dance.  In  return,  Hannington 
undressed  an  Enorlish  doll  before  their 
delighted  eyes,  and  they  were  charmed 
with  the  variety  of  their  white  sister's 
habiliments. 

After  a  long  and   painful   march,  inter- 


BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON.  375 

rupted  by  contact  with  wild  beasts  and 
warlike  natives,  the  caravan  arrived  at  the 
mission  station  of  Uyui  Sept.  4.  Here 
Hannington  was  seized  with  dysentery, 
and  for  many  days  hovered  between  life 
and  death ;  but,  tenderly  cared  for  by  his 
nephew,  Gordon,  he  grew  slightly  better, 
and  continued  the  journey  in  a  hammock 
carried  by  porters.  Nov.  8  the  party 
reached  Msalala,  and  saw  at  length  the 
waters  of  the  mighty  Nyanza. 
^  The  rainy  season  was  upon  them,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  build  huts  for  shelter. 
Mosquitoes  swarmed,  lions  roared,  porters 
deserted  the  camp,  supplies  ran  short,  and 
news  was  received  that  all  were  prostrated 
by  fever  at  Kagei.  On  Christmas  Day  the 
little  party  was  in  a  state  of  sad  destitution  ; 
but,  fever-stricken  and  weary,  that  band  of 
noble  men  assembled  together  to  celebrate 
the  holy  communion. 

Delayed  and  annoyed  by  the  natives, 
Hannington  at  last  reached  Kagei,  Jan,  24, 
1883.  Here  he  was  welcomed  royally  by 
Sayed-ben-Saif,  the   Arab    chief,    and    en- 


3/6  GREAT  MISSION'ARIES. 

countered  friendly  Jesuit  priests  who  had 
recently  left  Uganda. 

After  a  week's  journey,  he  reached  Mas- 
alala,  to  find  Mr.  Ashe  had  written  thus  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society:  "  Hanning- 
ton  is  pressing  on  against  all  our  advice ;  if 
he  still  lives,  I  look  upon  it  as  your  duty 
to  recall  him."  And  so  it  began  to  dawn 
upon  his  mind  that  he  was  beaten,  and  he 
consented  to  try  to  return  to  England. 

Carried  in  a  hammock  by  porters,  delayed 
by  unfriendly  tribes,  and  sick  unto  death 
for  a  greater  part  of  the  way,  Hannington 
reached  Zanzibar,  May  8,  and  stood  upon 
the  deck  of  the  homeward  bound  steamer, 
and  June  lo,  1883,  was  again  among  his 
friends.  "  He  settled  down  to  his  work  at 
Hurst  as  though  he  had  never  left  it,"  but 
never  for  a  moment  lost  the  idea  that  he 
was  to  renew  his  labors  in  Africa.  During 
the  next  twelve  months  he  preached  and 
spoke  upon  many  platforms. 

Near  the  beginning  of  1884  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
decided  to  place  the  churches  of  Equatorial 


BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON.  Z77 

Africa  under  the  supervision  of  a  bishop ; 
and  their  eyes  naturally  turned  toward 
Hannington,  who,  with  health  fully  re- 
stored, accepted  the  bishopric  as  **  a  sign 
from  God  that  he  had  work  to  do  for 
Christ  in  Africa,"  and  wrote  :  "I  feel  that 
I  could  no  more  say  No  than  did  Gor- 
don when  he  went  to  Khartoum."  The 
consecration  took  place  June  24,  1884,  in 
the  Parish  Church  of  Lambeth  ;  and,  with 
the  full  consciousness  that  his  path  would 
not  be  strewn  with  roses,  Hannington  went 
forth,  having  arranged  that  his  wife  and 
her  baby,  now  a  few  weeks  old,  should  in 
time  follow  him  to  Africa.  Having  a  com- 
mission from  the  archbishop  to  visit  Jeru- 
salem and  confirm  the  churches  on  the 
way  out,  he  sailed  for  the  Holy  Land, 
Nov.   5,   1884. 

At  Jerusalem  he  inspected,  preached, 
and  confirmed.  Jan.  22,  the  bishop's  ship 
steams  into  the  harbor  of  Mombasa.  Thou- 
sands assembled  on  shore,  and  there  was  a 
grand  welcome.  The  whole  of  the  bishop's 
working  staff  consisted  of  twelve   clergy, 


22 8  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

priests  and  deacons,  eleven  laymen,  and 
five  women,  wives  of  missionaries.  He  at 
once  made  himself  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  all  details  of  his  g-reat  work.  Findine 
the  missionaries  dvvellinor  in  "  houses  of 
cedar,  while  the  ark  scarce  rested  in  cur- 
tains," the  bishop  wrote  to  the  committee 
at  once  for  a  new  church  —  "not  a  tin  ark 
or  cocoanut  barn,  but  a  proper  stone 
church,  a  church  to   the  glory  of  God." 

With  regard  to  the  marriage  question 
the  bishop  wrote  :  "It  is  homicide  to  per- 
mit young  married  women  to  go  beyond 
the  neighborhood  of  the  coast,  and  noth- 
iiig  shall  induce  me  to  give  my  consent 
that  ladies  should  attempt  to  cross  the 
Wanyamnezi  deserts  in  the  present  state 
of  the  country." 

Before  he  had  been  long-  livino-  in  Frere 
Town  famine  threatened  the  mission  station 
at  Taita.  He  determined  that  he  would 
himself  go  to  the  front  to  carry  supplies  to 
Mr.  Wray's  suffering  camp.  The  heat  was 
intense,  and  the  journey  marked  by  dan- 
gers of  all  kinds  ;  but  the  bishop's  party 


BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON.  379 

at  last  reached  Taita,  and,  finding  the 
station  demoraHzed  by  famine  and  priva- 
tion, transferred  the  band  to  Rabai.  In 
due  time  the  bishop  brought  his  whole 
party  safely  through  to  Rabai,  but  he  him- 
self pushed  straight  on  to  Frere  Town, 
having  had  a  tramp  of  five  hundred  miles. 
He  was  filled  with  joy  and  enthusiasm 
over  the  new  route  westward,  which  was 
free  from  the  malarial  scourge  that  had 
accompanied  his  terrible  march  from  Zan- 
zibar to  the  lake  the  previous  year. 

In  May,  1885,  Bishop  Hannington  wrote 
the  committee  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  of  his  determination  to  travel  west- 
ward across  the  terrible  Masai  country,  and 
thereby  to  open  a  new  route  to  the  lake. 
His  plans  were  well  laid,  and  bravely  and 
successfully  carried  out ;  but,  alas!  neither 
he  nor  his  advisers  knew  the  terrible  fact 
that  Mtesa  was  dead,  and  that  the  young 
kincr,  Mwanea,  had  ordered  the  death  sen- 
tence  for  all  white  men  who  should  enter 
Ueanda  throuoh  the  northeast.  And  so, 
July  23,    1885,  after  prodigious  labors   in 


380  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

preparation,  Hannington  again  led  the  way 
into  the  wilds  of  darkest  Africa,  at  the 
head  of  a  caravan  two  hundred  strong-. 

Letters  home,  and  the  pocket  diary,  re- 
covered by  a  Christian  lad,  give  the  bish- 
op's own  record  of  forty-mile  marches 
under  the  burning  sun,  of  paths  cut 
through  a  tangle  of  spiked  grasses,  of 
jungles  filled  with  wild  beasts,  of  hostile 
tribes,  and  at  last  of  the  terrible  Masai. 
"  Starvation,  desertion,  treachery,"  and 
other  nightmares  and  furies,  did,  indeed, 
hover  over  their  heads  in  ghostly  forms, 
but  all  were  met  and  conquered  with 
indomitable  courage;  and  Oct.  11,  1885, 
the  bishop  arrived  at  Kwa  Sundu.  Here 
he  decided  to  leave  the  caravan  with  the 
native  clergyman,  Mr.  Jones  ;  and,  select- 
ing fifty  men  to  accompany  him,  pushed 
on  to  the  lake. 

It  was  truly  a  march  of  death,  for,  Oct. 
21,  1885,  ^^"^^  bishop  was  captured  by 
Lubwa's  band,  and,  after  an  imprisonment 
of  seven  days  filled  with  exquisite  torture, 
he   was    led    out    and   brutally    murdered 


BISHOP  JAMES  HANNINGTON:  38 1 

within  two  days'  march  of  his  heart's  long- 
cherished  dream,  the  land  of  the  Uganda. 
Since  the  death  of  David  Livingstone, 
the  great  missionary  and  explorer,  the 
cause  of  missions  in  the  Dark  Continent 
has  suffered  no  greater  loss  than  in  the 
untimely  death  of  the  brilliant  and  intrepid 
missionary.  Bishop  Hannington,  at  the 
early  age  of  thirty-eight. 


XXIII. 

DAVID   LIVINGSTONE. 

Missionary  to  Africa. 
Born  March  19,  1S13;  Died  May  i,  1873. 


XXIII. 

DAVID  LIVINGSTONE. 

The  visitor  in  Westminster  Abbey,  after 
looking  at  the  royal  tombs  in  the  Chapel 
of  Henry  VII.,  and  inspecting  with  nearer 
interest  the  tablets  and  monuments  of  the 
famous  Poets'  Corner,  may  come  out  into 
the  great  nave  of  the  cathedral,  and  there, 
apart  from  the  other  famous  graves,  but, 
as  it  were,  nearer  to  the  people  and  even 
amid  them,  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  he 
finds  the  large  slab  which  bears  the  name 
of  David  Livingstone.  Livingstone  was 
certainly  not  a  literary  man  in  the  common 
meaning,  though  his  works  hold  an  impor- 
tant place  in  English  literature ;  he  was 
certainly  not  a  mere  geographical  explorer, 
though  no  name  among  the  explorers 
honored  by  the  Royal  Geographical  So- 
ciety   can     compare    with     his ;    and    mis- 

385 


386  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

sionaries  and  directors  of  missionary  work 
were  not  quite  sure  w^iether  he  could 
stand  among  them.  In  1856  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  seemed  "  desirous 
of  shelving  his  plans  ;  so  he  shelved  the 
society."  Yet  Livingstone,  in  1865,  after 
he  had  been  ten  years  independent  of  the 
missionary  society,  declined  Sir  Roderick 
Murchison's  tempting  invitation  to  be  a 
mere  explorer,  and  insisted,  as  he  had 
from  the  beginning,  that  "The  end  of  the 
geographical  feat  is  but  the  beginning 
of  the  missionary  enterprise."  However 
others  might  misunderstand  him,  in  his 
own  mind  he  was  always  the  missionary 
explorer  and  pioneer ;  the  greatest  mis- 
sionary pioneer  he  really  was  since  the 
Apostle  Paul. 

He  was  born  at  Blantyre,  near  Glasgow, 
Scotland,  March  19,  18 13,  the  son  of 
"  poor  and  pious  parents,"  as  he  himself 
wrote  on  their  tombstone,  giving  thanks 
for  their  poverty  as  well  as  their  piety. 
When  nine  years  old  he  took  a  prize  for 
repeating    Psalm    cxix.,    "  with    only    two 


DAVID    LIVINGSTONE. 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  387 

errors."  When  but  ten  he  went  to  work 
in  a  cotton  factory,  and  laid  his  first  half- 
crown  of  wages  in  his  mother's  lap,  and 
with  part  of  that  week's  pay  bought  a  Latin 
grammar.  For  ten  year's  he  studied  late 
at  nio'ht,  and  at  odd  minutes  in  the  mill, 
and  read  many  of  the  classics.  Till  about 
1833  1"^^  "^^^s  waiting  for  some  gracious, 
conscious  chano-e  to  come  in  his  charac- 
ter,  but,  reading  Dick's  "  Philosophy  of  a 
Future  State,"  he  was  led  to  accept  Christ 
at  once  with  great  joy ;  and  Gutzlaff's 
"  Appeal "  led  him  to  give  himself  to 
missionary  work. 

He  spent  two  winters  (1836-38)  in 
Glasgow,  studying  Greek  in  the  Univer- 
sity, theology  with  Rev.  Dr.  Wardlaw,  and 
medicine  in  Anderson's  College  ;  and  was 
accepted  by  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety to  go  to  China,  and  at  their  instance 
studied  theology  for  a  time  with  the  Rev. 
Richard  Cecil,  though  poor  reports  of  his 
preaching  capacity  nearly  caused  his  re- 
jection by  the  society. 

His  going  to  China  was  delayed  by  the 


388  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

opium  war ;  and  meeting  Moffat,  he  con- 
cluded to  go  to  Africa.  He  received  a 
medical  diploma,  and  was  ordained  in  No- 
vember, 1840,  and  in  December  sailed  for 
the  Cape;  and  in  July,  1841,  went  to 
Kuruman,  Moffat's  station,  seven  hundred 
miles  north  of  Cape  Town.  He  spent  two 
years  at  Kuruman,  learning  the  language 
and  practical  missionary  methods  ;  and  in 
1843  established  his  own  first  station  at 
Mabotsa,  two  hundred  miles  north-east  of 
Kuruman,  where  he  built  a  house,  and  took 
home  Mary  Moffat  as  his  wife. 

His  plan  was  to  open  up  new  centres 
of  lio^ht  anion  Of  tribes  hitherto  unevan- 
gelized,  and  raise  up  native  pastors.  He 
had  no  patience  with  lingering  near  the 
centres  of  missionary  or  civilized  life. 
"If  you  meet  me  down  in  the  Colony 
before  eight  years  are  expired,"  he  wrote 
to  a  friend,  "you  may  shoot  me."  Near 
Mabotsa,  before  his  marriage,  he  had  the 
famous  encounter  with  a  lion,  which  bit 
throuorh  his  arm  bone.  Some  one  in 
London  asked  him  what  his  thoucrhts  were 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  389 

as  the  lion  stood  over  him  ;  and  he  an- 
swered with  grim  liumor,  "  I  was  thinking- 
what  part  of  me  he  would  eat  first." 

He  had  built  his  house  to  stay  at  Ma- 
botsa  ;  but  a  foolish  jealousy  on  the  part 
of  a  fellow  missionary  made  him  give 
up  his  home,  and  found  a  second  station 
forty  miles  north,  at  Chonuane,  the  capital 
of  the  Bakwains.  Here  he  labored  three 
years,  and  the  chief,  Sechele,  was  baptized; 
but  the  people  suffered  from  drought,  and 
their  "rain-makers"  charged  it  to  the 
missionary.  Livingstone  thereupon  per- 
suaded the  tribe  to  move  westward  forty 
miles  to  the  river  Kolobeng,  where  canals 
could  furnish  irrigation.  This  "  beat  the 
rain-makers "  for  the  first  year ;  but  later 
droughts  showed  the  river  insufficient,  and 
in  1849,  leaving  his  wife  and  three  chil- 
dren at  Kolobeng,  he  set  out  in  company 
with  two  English  sportsmen,  to  find  the 
tribe  a  healthier  home  to  the  north.  He 
discovered  Lake  'Ngami,  Aug.  i  ;  then  re- 
turned, and  the  next  April  set  out  to 
occupy  it  with  his  wife  and  children   and 


390  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

the  converted  chief  Sechele.  The  chil- 
dren and  servants,  however,  fell  ill,  and  he 
had  to  return.  A  fourth  child  was  born 
and  died  ere  long;  and  after  fuller  prepa- 
ration he  again  set  out  with  his  family,  in 
April,  1 85  I,  for  the  country  of  the  Mako- 
lolo,  whose  king,  Sebituane,  had  been  in 
former  years  a  good  friend  of  Sechele. 
This  time  the  journey  was  successfully  ac- 
complished, and  Sebituane  welcomed  them 
heartily.  He  soon  died;  but  his  daughter, 
who  succeeded  him,  was  equally  friendly, 
and  Livingstone  continued  his  explora- 
tions, and  in  June  discovered  the  upper 
Zambesi. 

The  Makololo  country,  however,  was  not 
healthful,  and  the  political  disorders  and 
strife  with  the  Boers  made  Kolobeno-  un- 
safe  ;  and  in  1852  Livingstone  took  his 
family  to  the  Cape,  and  sent  them  to  Eng- 
land, himself  returning  to  the  Makololo. 

Li  November,  1853,  he  set  out  with  a 
company  of  natives  upon  that  great  ex- 
ploring tour  which  led  him  north-westerly 
across  the  watershed  of  Central  Africa,  and 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  39 1 

brought  him.  in  May,  1854,  to  the  Portu- 
guese town  of  Loancla  on  the  west  coast. 
Here  he  rested  through  the  summer,  and 
in  September  following  marched  eastward, 
and  explored  across  the  continent  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  reaching  the  mouth  of  the 
Zambesi  in  May,  1856. 

He  had  sent  home  from  Loanda  his 
astronomical  observations  and  his  journals 
to  that  point  ;  and  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society  honored  him  in  May,  1855,  with 
its  gold  medal.  His  careful  studies  of  the 
watershed  on  his  eastward  journey  were  of 
equal  value.  He  discovered  the  great  falls 
of  the  Zambesi,  and  the  blank,  "  unexplored 
region  "  from  Kuruman  to  Timbuctoo  was 
covered  with  his  accurate  and  scientific 
descriptions  and  maps ;  and  when  from 
Kilimane  he  sailed  to  Mauritius,  and  thence 
to  England,  where  he  arrived  in  Decem- 
ber, 1856,  he  was  the  hero  of  the  hour. 
His  journey  of  eleven  thousand  miles 
through  unexplored  Africa  had  brought 
him  into  national  and  world-wide  distinc- 
tion.     His  meeting  with  his  family  was  a 


392  GREA  T  MISSIONARIES. 

greater  joy  than  all  his  fame,  though  he 
found  his  father's  chair  empty,  Neil  Living- 
stone havino-  died  while  his  son  was  on  his 
homeward  journey. 

The  London  Missionary  Society  gave 
him  distinguished  honor,  but  doubted  the 
entire  wisdom  of  his  plans ;  and  he  re- 
signed his  connection  with  them.  He 
prepared  and  published  his  first  volume, 
"  Missionary  Travels  and  Researches  in 
South  Africa,"  which  had  an  immediate 
popular  success,  and  made  him  pecu- 
niarily independent.  Eminent  scientists 
pronounced  it  a  most  valuable  contribution 
to  knowledge.  It  gave  a  most  interesting 
proof  of  his  personal  traits.  For  exam- 
ple, in  describing  in  the  simplest  manner 
an  adventure  with  a  buffalo,  he  says :  — 

"  I  glanced  around,  but  the  only  tree  on  the  plain 
was  a  hundred  yards  off,  and  there  was  no  escape 
elsewhere.  I  therefore  cocked  my  rifle  with  the 
intention  of  giving  him  a  steady  shot  in  the  fore- 
head when  he  should  come  within  three  or  four 
yards  of  me.  The  thought  flashed  across  my  mind, 
'  What  if  the  gun  misses  fire  ? '  I  placed  it  at  my 
shoulder  as  he  came  on  at  full  speed,  and  that  is 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  393 

tremendous.  A  small  bush  fifteen  yards  off  made 
him  swerve  a  little,  and  exposed  his  shoulder.  I 
heard  the  ball  crack  there  as  I  fell  flat  on  my  face. 
The  pain  must  have  made  him  renounce  his  pur- 
pose, for  he  bounded  close  past  me  to  the  water, 
where  he  was  found  dead.  In  expressing  my  thank- 
fulness to  God  among  my  men,  they  were  much 
offended  with  themselves  for  not  being  present  to 
shield  me  from  this  danger.  The  tree  near  me  was 
a  camel-thorn,  and  reminded  me  that  we  had  come 
back  to  the  land  of  thorns  again,  for  the  country  we 
had  left  is  one  of  evergreens." 

The  passage,  besides  its  graphic  interest, 
shows  Livingstone's  coohiess  in  the  mo- 
ment of  danger,  his  devout  thankfuhiess 
and  habit  of  speaking  of  God's  kind  provi- 
dences to  his  men,  whom  he  lield  in 
friendly  regard,  and  the  keen  eye  of  the 
naturalist  noting  even  the  thorns  on  the 
bush   in  the  moment  of  deadly  danger. 

But,  above  all,  his  book  reveals  his  con- 
trolling and  devoted  purpose  of  missionary 
exploration  ;  and  more  and  more  the  Chris- 
tian church  grows  to  see  the  justice  of  its 
ideas  of  missionary  work.  Especially  was 
it   wise    in    declaring    the   slave-trade    the 


394  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

great  "  open  sore  of  the  world,"  which,  un- 
healed, must  make  the  Chrlstianization  or 
civilizing  of  Africa  an  impossibility. 

In  February,  1858,  he  was  appointed 
British  consul  for  Eastern  Africa  and  the 
interior,  and  in  March  sailed  in  the  Zam- 
besi expedition.  He  explored  the  Zam- 
besi from  its  mouth  that  season,  entered 
its  branch,  the  Shire,  in  January,  1859,  "^^^ 
discovered  Lake  Nyassa  Sept.  16,  1859. 
He  was  joined  by  the  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge missionaries  early  in  1861  ;  explored 
with  them  the  Rovuma,  and  later  a^ain  ex- 
plored  the  Shire.  Jan.  30,  1862,  Mrs. 
Livingstone  came  to  join  him,  arriving  in 
the  naval  ship  Gorgon,  which  also  brought 
a  small  steamer,  the  Lady  Nyassa,  which, 
at  the  cost  of  six  thousand  pounds,  profits 
of  his  book,  he  had  had  built  for  lake 
use. 

Mrs.  Livingstone  died  April  27,  and  at 
first  he  was  quite  prostrated.  Later  he 
again  explored  the  Rovuma  and  Shire  Riv- 
ers, and  had  begun  to  build  a  road  around 
the  cataracts  of  the  latter  river,  when  letters 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  395 

were  received  from  England,  recalling  the 
expedition  as  too  costly.  The  recall  was  in 
part  due  to  the  hostility  of  the  Portuguese 
authorities,  because  of  his  practical  inter- 
ference with  the  slave-trade. 

In  need  now  of  money,  he  sailed  his 
little  steamer,  the  Lady  Nyassa,  to  Bombay, 
to  sell  her,  making  a  stormy  journey  of 
forty- five  days  ;  and  from  Bombay  sailed  to 
England.  There  he  wrote,  "  The  Zambesi 
and  its  Tributaries." 

In  1865  Sir  Roderick  Murchison  pro- 
posed to  him  to  accept  a  purely  geographi- 
cal appointment,  to  explore  the  watersheds 
of  Africa  ;  but  Livingstone  declined,  being 
unwilling  to  put  the  missionary  work  any- 
where but  first.  This  refusal  did  not  pre- 
vent his  appointment  as  British  consul  in 
Africa,  without  salary  ;  and  he  accepted  this 
office,  and  also  a  commission  from  the  Geo- 
grapical  Society,  under  which  he  went  to 
Bombay  and  sold  the  Lady  Nyassa  for  less 
than  half  her  cost  to  him,  thence  sailing 
to  Zanzibar,  whence  he  went  to  the  mouth 
of  the    Rovuma.      He  had  already  ascer- 


39^  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

tained  that  this  river  had  no  connection 
with  Lake  Nyassa,  but  he  ascended  it  as 
far  as  practicable,  and  reached  Lake  Nyassa 
Aug.  8,  spending  some  weeks  in  explor- 
ing the  lake  ;  and  then,  to  setde  the  ques- 
tion of  the  watershed,  he  pressed  on 
northward,  and  reached  Lake  Tanganyika 
April  I,  1867,  and  demonstrated  that  it  be- 
longed to  a  system  of  waters  flowing  away 
from  the  Indian  Ocean.  Then,  pushing 
west,  he  came  to  Casembe  in  November, 
discovering  Lake  Moero,  Nov.  8,  1867. 

These  laborious  journeys  were  most 
wearing  to  his  health,  and  he  was  prostrated 
by  a  severe  fever  in  December,  and  Jan.  i, 
1868,  wrote  in  his  journal  :  "  Almighty 
Father,  forgive  the  sins  of  the  past  year 
for  thy  Son's  sake.  Help  me  to  be  more 
profitable  during  this  year.  If  I  am  to  die 
this  year,  prepare  me  for  it."  This  danger 
of  death  and  these  laborious  journeys  were 
for  no  mere  explorer's  fame.  They  were 
the  steadfast  persistence  of  his  great  pur- 
pose to  accomplish  the  "  geographical  feat," 
which  was  "  but  the  beofinningf  of  the  mis- 


DAVID  LIVINGSTONE.  397 

sionary  enterprise  ;  "  along  with  which  was 
now  his  purpose  to  find  and  show,  north  of 
the  Portuguese  possessions,  and  Portu- 
guese official  complicity  with  the  slave- 
trade,  an  open  highway  of  legitimate 
commerce,  the  success  of  which  he  was 
convinced  would  ever  heal  "  the  open  sore 
of  the  world." 

Yet  he  ever  bore  with  him  the  fitting  in- 
fluence  of  a  devoted  missionary  of  the 
cross.  In  the  midst  of  these  geographical 
explorations,  while  reaching  the  conclusion 
that  Lake  Bangweolo,  discovered  July  28, 
1868,  was  one  of  a  chain  of  lakes  extend- 
ing northward  and  traversed  by  the  Lua- 
laba,  and  wondering  if  that  mighty  interior 
river  was  not  the  long-sought  upper  Nile, 
he  makes  this  note  :  "  As  for  our  general 
discourse,  we  mention  our  relationship  to 
our  Father ;  his  love  to  all  his  children  — 
the  guilt  of  selling  any  of  his  children, 
the  consequence.  We  mention  the  Bible, 
future  state,  prayers  ;  advise  union,  that  they 
should  unite  as  one  family  to  expel  ene- 
mies, who  came  first  as  slave-traders,  and 


398  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

ended   by    leaving   the   country    a    wilder- 
ness." 

Toward  the  end  of  1868  he  was  aorain 
very  ill  ;  and  at  length  resolved  to  go  to 
Ujiji,  on  the  east  shore  of  Lake  Tangan- 
yika. The  journey  was  most  exhausting. 
Half-way  to  Tanganyika  he  became  so  ill 
that  he  had  to  be  carried  on  the  march  — 
the  first  time  in  thirty  years.  His,  men,  too 
were  about  worn  out.  Canoeine  on  the 
lake  was  easier  than  marching,  but  taxed 
them  to  the  utmost.  "  Patience,"  he  says, 
"  was  never  more  needed  than  now.  I  am 
near  Ujiji  ;  but  the  slaves  who  paddle  are 
tired,  and  no  wonder  ;  they  keep  up  a  roar- 
ing song  all  through  their  work,  night  and 
day,  .  .  .  Hope  to  hold  out  to  Ujiji." 
They  arrived  there  March  14,  1869. 

It  was  July  before  Livingstone  was  suf- 
ficiently rested  and  strengthened  to  set  out 
on  what  proved  his  last  journey.  His  im- 
mediate object  was  the  exploration  of  that 
country  west  from  the  northern  land  of 
Lake  Tanganyika.  The  country  was  said 
to  be  occupied  by  cannibals  ;  but  beyond 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  399 

them  was  the  Liialaba,  and  the  question 
whether  it  flowed  northward  to  the  Nile 
was  of  intense  interest.  He  found  the  peo- 
ple drunken  with  palm-toddy,  and  obsti- 
nately obstructive  to  him.  After  a  short 
attempt  at  canoeing-  on  the  Lualaba,  his  ill- 
health  compelled  falling  back  to  Bambarre 
by  the  lake.  In  June,  1870,  he  made  an- 
other start,  but  again  had  to  fall  back,  and 
was  laid  up  nearly  three  months  with  ulcers 
on  his  feet.  He  says  that  while  in  this 
country  he  "  read  the  whole  Bible  through 
four  times."  He  confessed  in  his  journal : 
"  I  have  an  intense  and  sore  loneino-  to 
finish  and  retire,  and  trust  the  Almighty 
may  perniit  me  to  go  home." 

Jan.  I,  187 1,  he  was  still  waiting  at 
Bambarre.  There  ten  men  came  of  a 
larger  number  sent  from  Zanzibar  by  Dr. 
Kirk,  but  bringing  only  one  of  the  forty 
letters  with  which  they  had  been  sent,  and 
proving  most  mutinous,  worthless  scoun- 
drels when  he  tried  to  go  westward  with 
them.  Nevertheless,  he  pushed  on  to  the 
Lualaba,  but  found   it  wanderingr  off  still 


400  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

westward,  apparently  with  no  connection 
with  the  Nile.  Here,  too,  he  had  to  wit- 
ness, with  no  power  to  help,  the  horror  and 
desolation  of  a  slavers'  raid,  with  all  its 
robbery,  massacre,  and  utter  desolation. 
Obliofed  to  return,  he  came  east  six  hun- 
dred  miles  to  Ujiji,  to  find  that  there  his 
stores  had  been  stolen,  and  he  was  threat- 
ened with  utter  destitution.  This  was  Oct. 
23,  187 1  ;  and  it  was  in  this  extremity  that 
he  was  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  Henry  M. 
Stanley,  of  the  New  York  Herald  relief 
expedition,  Nov.  10. 

In  September,  1866,  men  whom  Living- 
stone had  brought  from  Zanzibar  deserted 
him,  and  in  order  to  get  pay  on  the  arrival 
there,  represented  that  he  had  been  killed 
by  the  natives.  The  report  was  discred- 
ited, but  years  without  messages  made  it 
seem  not  improbable.  The  Geographical 
Society  commissioned  Mr.  Edward  D. 
Youne  to  search  for  Livino"stone,  and  he 
proved  the  utter  untrustworthiness  of  the 
report.  But  what  truth  was  hidden  in 
these  dark  and  trackless  forests  it  was  left 


DAVID  LIVINGSTONE.  4OI 

to  Stanley  to  show,  after  an  anxious  uncer- 
tainty of  years.  Stanley  brought  with  him 
abundant  equipment ;  and  he  and  Living- 
stone together  explored  the  north  end  of 
Lake  Tanganyika,  and  found  that  it  had 
no  northern  outlet,  and  so  could  not  be  a 
source  of  the  Nile.  Subsequently  Stanley 
was  prostrated  with  fever  ;  and  for  this  and 
other  causes  he  was  with  Livingstone  till  the 
middle  of  February,  1872.  It  belongs  to 
Henry  M.  Stanley  to  tell  how  much  of  all 
that  is  noblest  in  him  has  its  connection 
with  that  heroic  missionary  whom  the  Nciv 
York  Herald's  enterprise  sent  him  out  to 
rescue. 

They  went  together  to  Unyanyembe,  a 
great  Arab  settlement  between  Ujiji  and 
the  east  coast.  There  Stanley  handed 
over  the  stores  he  had  brought  for  Livinor- 
stone,  public  gifts,  and  clothing  sent  by 
his  daughter ;  and  after  they  had  shaken 
hands  and  parted,  sent  up  from  the  coast 
a  company  of  trusty  natives. 

Aug.  25  Livingstone  left  Unyanyembe, 
and   in  six  weeks  was  back  at   Lake  Tan- 


402  GREAT  MISSIOXARIES. 

ganyika.  He  rounded  the  soiuhern  point, 
and  pushed  south  and  west  for  Lake 
Bangweolo.  The  raniy  season  had  come  ; 
and  they  were  much  hindered  by  the 
"  sponge,"  and  were  often  knee-deep  in 
water.  Fever  and  dysentery  reduced  Liv- 
ingstone, till  aeain  he  had  to  be  carried  on 
a  sort  of  palanquin.  Sometimes  he  was 
in  great  pain,  and  sometimes  faint  and 
drowsy.  He  kept  up  his  journal  ;  but  the 
entries  were  shorter  and  shorter,  at  last 
litde  but  the  dates.  He  still  questioned 
the  men,  where  he  could  not  observe  for 
himself,  about  distant  hills  and  the  rivers 
they  crossed.  April  27,  1873,  he  wrote, 
"  Knocked  up  quite,  and  remain  —  recover 
—  sent  to  buy  milch  goats.  We  are  on 
the  banks  of  Molilamo."  This  was  the 
last  entry. 

Next  day  his  men  lifted  him  from  his 
bed  to  a  canoe,  and  crossed  the  river. 
They  then  bore  him  to  the  site  of  the 
present  village  of  Chitambo,  at  the  south- 
ern end  of  Lake  Bangweolo,  reaching  there 
with    great    difficulty,    splashing    through 


DAVID   LIVINGSTONE.  403 

dreary  stretches  of  water  and  sponge  till 
the  evening  of  April  29.  He  was  at  times 
utterly  faint.  Some  of  them  went  ahead, 
and  built  him  a  hut,  and  there  they  laid 
him  in  bed.  Next  day  he  was  too  ill  to 
talk.  At  night  they  helped  him  select 
some  medicine  from  the  chest.  Then  he 
said,  "  All  right ;  you  can  go."  A  lad 
slept  in  the  hut  with  him,  and  towards 
morning  called  some  of  the  men.  They 
found  his  candle  burning  at  his  bedside, 
and  Livinorstone  kneelinor  there  as  if  in 
prayer,  his  face  in  his  hands,  but  he  was 
dead. 

When  these  poor  natives  found  that 
'*  the  great  master,"  as  they  called  him, 
was  dead,  "with  a  fidelity  which  is  rare  in 
story,  and  a  sense  of  responsibility  almost 
unknown  in  benighted  Africa,"  they  buried 
his  heart  and  internal  organs  under  a  tree 
—  Livinorstone  wrote  after  his  wife's  death, 
"  I  have  often  wished  that  [my  resting- 
place]  might  be  in  some  far-off,  still,  deep 
forest,  where  I  may  sleep  sweetly  till  the 
resurrection   morn."      His    body  they  em- 


404  GREAT  MISSIONARIES. 

balmed,  as  best  they  could,  by  drying; 
and  wrapping  it  in  calico,  bark,  and  canvas, 
carried  it,  with  all  his  personal  effects, 
through  a  hostile  country,  all  the  weary 
way  to  the  coast.  It  was  thence  taken  to 
England,  and  there  identified,  partly  by 
the  arm  crushed  by  the  lion's  jaw ;  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Westminster  Abbey. 


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